Art And Culture
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Spirit of a City Comes From Art & Culture

Spirit of a City Comes From Art & Culture
Spirit of a City Comes From Art & Culture

The spirit of a city comes from its art and culture, Hojatollah Ayoubi, head of the Iran Cinema Organization, said at the inauguration of the 5th Urban International Film Festival on Wednesday (May 27) at Eivan-e Shams Complex in Tehran.

“Nowadays, megalopolises are known by their contribution to film, theater, and music festivals. In fact, the identity of a city is reflected in its art and culture,” Ayoubi said. The days when cities were known for their skyscrapers are over and today the formidable strength of culture, “has overthrown the cement and concrete of cities,” he said, quoted by ISNA.

He asked the municipality to assist art and cultural programs in the city. “We expect civic officials to construct more art galleries, theater halls, and especially cinema halls as it cannot be done by the cinema organization alone.”

The festival is organized by the Cultural and Artistic Organization of Tehran Municipality. The organization director, Mahmoud Salahi, pointed to the four-year hiatus in the festival, and said: “We have plans to hold the event annually like the Fajr Film Festival.”

Investing on films with urban themes and opening new art galleries and cinema and theater halls are among the priorities of the organization. “In the coming weeks, three large theater halls will open in Tehran,” he noted.

  Commemorations

Tributes were paid to two film directors, and three art personalities were honored posthumously.

Veteran director, screenwriter and producer Masoud Kimiai (born 1941, Tehran) on receiving his commendation plaque, said, “I am happy to receive this award from my city Tehran, which is changing so rapidly; it has become a vast art gallery with various murals and statues. Also several orchestras exist now, and it is host to many international festivals.”

The celebrated female director, producer and screenwriter Pouran Derakhshandeh (born 1951, Kermanshah) was also presented with a commendation plaque. As a social filmmaker, she said: “I am concerned about the people of my country, so besides depicting the beauty of the cities and its people, I also am responsible to show the dark social side. This way I hope I can contribute to solving the problems.”

After screening videos on works of the late actor Morteza Ahmadi, director Rasoul Molla-Gholipour, and radio anchor Mehran Dousti, their family members received the festival statues in their honor.

The winners of different sections of the festival were also awarded.

With a focus on urban themes, the festival provides a rather vast and diverse context. Given the international reach of the theme, it welcomes films from all parts of the world. The treatment of sociological and anthropological aspects in films, the location and environment, human interaction in city life, and how geography affects urban life, are all issues reflected in the urban films.

Aiming to promote Iranian and Islamic lifestyle and draw attention to individual religious identity, the festival will conclude on June 2.

 

Financialtribune.com