A day prior to the commencement of the 10-Day Dawn Festivities which celebrate the anniversary of the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the 33rd International Fajr Film Festival took off at Tehran’s Milad Tower on Saturday (Jan 31).
Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati, head of Iran Cinema Organization, Hojatollah Ayoubi, Minister of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare Ali Rabiee, and a number of artists and art enthusiasts attended the function.
Addressing the masses who packed the tower’s conference hall, festival secretary Alireza Rezadad said the cinematic event “is indeed the springboard of local cinema as the outcome of the annual efforts of cineastes is unveiled.”
The culture minister pointed to the creation of mutual trust and respect in the realm of cinema by Ayoubi and his colleagues and said, “as a result of this friendly atmosphere in the field of the 7th art in the country, a number of brilliant movies have been produced this year, which we will see during the 10-day Dawn festivities.”
Young Talent
One of the positive aspects of this year’s edition, Jannati said is the “powerful presence of young and talented filmmakers on the scene who have made valuable contributions,” reported ISNA.
Later the minister of labor, the main proponent of the festival this year, spoke about the features of cinema as an art form as well as mass media, and equally important in both.
“The 7th art made it possible for man to make his imaginations visible and share them with others. In cinema, a vast range of social issues is being dealt with. So there is a chance to raise many questions on social concepts of our society in movies and arrive at an answer by analyzing them,” he noted.
The local cinema after the Islamic Revolution has been committed to social criticism, Rabiee said. “Our cinema has always been loyal to the ideals of the Islamic Revolution; however, it has been criticized by people at times.”
He opined that Iran cinema reflects the Iranian people and depicts the rich culture of this nation.
Honored
At a part of the opening ceremony, veteran actor Mohammad-Ali Keshavarz and cinematographer Hossein Jafarian were honored for their lifetime achievements in Iran cinema.
Twenty-nine theaters and 13 cinema complexes are hosting the festival, which will run until February 11. Twenty four films will compete and 11 movies will be premiered in the New Vision section, dedicated to first-time filmmakers. This is the first time the national section of the festival is independent of the international section. The latter will be held from April 25 to May 2.
