7 Nations at Marivan Street Theater Festival

The 12th Marivan International Street Theater Festival opened on September 9 in Marivan city, western Kurdistan Province.

This year ‘Idea and Form’ and ‘Creative Youth Theater’ sections have been added to the event during which a total of 72 groups are participating in the ‘Free Competition’ and 26 in the ‘Ritual Drama’ sections, theater.ir reported.

Six foreign troupes from France, Spain, Brazil, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Iraq and Ukraine are attending.

Three education workshops on ‘art of theater’ and ‘street theater’ are also in the program.

Twenty plays are performed every day in the picturesque  city located amid the high Zagros Mountains and through which the Zarivar (Zaribar) river passes.  However, Zarivar is not just a river; it is one of the most unique freshwater lakes in the world. The passage of river through the heart of the city creates an extraordinary landscape rendering it suitable for street theater.

The participating plays cover an array of topics including unity, solidarity, friendship, respect, peace, hope, drug addiction and unemployment, as well as environmental issues with particular focus on Zarivar Lake.

A three-member jury will judge the works and introduce the winners on September 13. The jury includes director, scriptwriter, researcher and theataer instructor Qotbodin Sadeqi; theater researcher and instructor Farindokht Zahedi and theater director, actor and screenwriter Kourosh Zarei.

The festival secretariat received 423 entries for the current edition which indicates an increase of 64%, compared to last year’s event.

Theater director Fateh Badparva is the event secretary. Organizers are the provincial department of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, the Department of Dramatic Arts, Dramatic Arts Association of Iran, Dramatic Arts Association of Kurdistan, Marivan City Council and Marivan Municipality.