In 2004, when Iranian Parliament approved the budget of the big production movies, Mojtaba Faravardeh suggested Solomon's life story and it was accepted to be the first Iranian big produced movie. There was many arguments why not an Iranian great honor of history to be filmed and there is yet.
After 2 years of researches over history and testaments, the group decided to write the screenplay just based on Holy Quran. The researches were not only about story line but also about set and costumes, and new technologies in nowadays cinema. So the group made many trips to many countries and after all they found Leo Lo as Visual Supervisor and Kinson Tsang as Sound Mixer that both of them were from Hong Kong. Again many argues begun why not European and Western Specialists? Mojtaba Faravardeh who became the Producer of this project at that time answered: "The first problem is western sanctions and second is different believes of us and them about Solomon and third is our Iranian specialist to be trained."
'The Kingdom Of Solomon' filmed from May 2006 to September 2007 in 9 months but with 5 months of standby for lack of budget. The group spent one year for post-production and the film was going to 2009 Fajr Film Festival but it didn't because Christianity New Year holidays and Chinese New Year holidays stopped foreign group to finish visual effects. After that stop, group finished the film and sent it to Chan Kwong-Wing to compose music for 'The kingdom of Solomon'.
The film was ready now to be screened but 2009 presidential election and events after that made group to send the film to 2010 Fajr Film Festival and at there 'The kingdom of Solomon' nominated in 9 parts and caught 5 Crystal Simorgh for best Visual Effects, best Music, best Sound Mix, best Make up, and best supporting actor by Mahdi Faghih who acted as Aara the Magician. But most of Iranian reviewers were not satisfied with the film quality since for the first Iranian big production movie that had five million dollars of budget, the result was acceptable.
These argue brought farther the release date and after all 'The kingdom of Solomon' movie released on 7 October 2010 in Iran and made 2.5 million dollars revenue until today. We should also remember that because of no good film, Iranians loosed their habit of going to cinemas. The film is going to be screened in Middle East countries and some other parts of the world after its screening in Iran finishes.
Shahriar Bahrani- writer and director- made his best in the first Part of Solomon trilogy as he did in 'Saint Mary' (2001) movie before. He promised to do better in making 'The kingdom of Solomon' following parts and I know he will do.
'The Kingdom Of Solomon The Prophet (Part One)' will be out soon and I recommend you to watch it.
