Art And Culture
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Cultural, Art, Film Programs at Beijing Int’l Book Fair

The screening event at Iran’s pavilion will feature films by celebrated directors Asghar Farhadi, Narges Abyar and the late auteur Abbas Kiarostami
Clockwise from top left: Screenshots from ‘Salesman;,‘Track 143’, ‘Me’ and ‘Jameh-Daran’
Clockwise from top left: Screenshots from ‘Salesman;,‘Track 143’, ‘Me’ and ‘Jameh-Daran’

Iran’s pavilion at the 24th Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF, August 23-27) will screen Iranian movies.

Selected as the guest of honor, Iran will attend the upcoming edition of BIBF with the motto ‘Iran, the Colorful Dream of Silk Road,’ according to icfi.ir, the website of Iran Cultural Fairs Institute (ICFI).

In its role as honorary guest, Iran is preparing special programs for the important cultural event.  A delegation of 100 people, including the Minister of Culture Reza Salehi Amiri, publishers, writers, illustrators and artists will be present at the fair.

A series of publishing seminars, book promotion events, discourse by writers, illustrators’ shows and art performances have been prepared at Iran’s 500 square meter pavilion located at the entrance of West Hall 2, New China International Exhibition Center.

ICFI says a movie week is added to the programs, in which six famous Iranian films will be screened for visitors.

  Movies

‘Salesman,’ a 2016 drama film written and directed by film director and screenwriter Asghar Farhadi, 45, is among the films. The film premiered in competition in the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, where it won two awards: Best Screenplay for Farhadi and Best Actor for Shahab Hosseini, 43. The Salesman went on to receive more positive reviews, and won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It is about a young couple emotionally challenged after the wife becomes the victim of a sexual assault.

‘Shirin,’ a 2008 film by the late filmmaker, photographer and producer Abbas Kiarostami (1940-2016) is another contemplative film of the program. It is considered by some critics as a notable twist in the artistic career of Kiarostami. The movie shows the faces of the audiences who are watching a film about the old Iranian romance of Khosrow & Shirin.

The 2014 feature film of ‘Rabies,’ directed by filmmaker and TV director Amir Ahmad Ansari, 38, is also included. It is about some social problems in Tehran.

‘Me’ is another film of the program about social issues. Written and directed by Soheil Beiraqi, 34, the 2016 movie tells the story of a woman who defies social norms by falling in love.

‘Track 143,’ will also be screened. It is directed by author, film director and screenwriter Narges Abyar, 47 and is about a martyr’s mother who awaits the return of her son. The movie is based on two days of Mostafa Chamran’s life during the 1980-1988 Iran–Iraq war. Chamran was commander of a group of  volunteers who went to defend the country against foreign aggression.

And finally the family drama of ‘Jameh-Daran’ (literally ‘rending garment,’ a practice in lamentation) is included in the program. It is a 2014 film directed by cinema director and screenwriter Hamid Reza Qotbi, 56. It tells the story of a woman who is exposed to family secrets after the death of her father.

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