Familiar Faces in 36th Fajr Film Festival Jury

The list of jury members of the competition section of the 36th Fajr Film Festival was announced on Friday.

According to a press release by the festival’s public relations office, the seven names are familiar in the domestic film industry: cinematographer Bahram Badakhshani, director Kamal Tabrizi, critic Khosrow Dehqan, producer Fereshteh Taerpour, university instructor Hassan Khojasteh, filmmaker Rasoul Sadr-Ameli and actor Mohammad-Reza Foroutan.

Badakhshani, 59, has filmed some notable movies including ‘Heeva’ (1998) directed by Rasoul Mollaqolipour, ‘I’m Taraneh, 15’ (2006) by Rasoul Sadr-Ameli, ‘Duel’ (2004) by Ahmad-Reza Darvish, ‘Inversion’ (2017) by Behnam Behzadi and ‘Negar’ (2017) by Rambod Javan.

Tabrizi, 58, rose to fame with the war comedy ‘Leily Is With Me’ (1996). ‘A Mother’s Love’ (1998), ‘Sheida’ (1999), ‘The Lizard’ (2004) and ‘Mina’s Choice’ (2016) are among his notable films.

Screenwriter, film critic, article writer and translator Khosrow Dehqan, 70, has a long experience in critical reviews and evaluation at major cinematic events.

Taerpour, 65, has produced children’s films including ‘Golnar’ (1988) directed by Kambouzia Partovi, ‘Patal and Small Wishes’ (1989) by Masoud Keramati and ‘Old Men’s School’ (1991) by Seyyed Ali Sajjadi Hosseini among other works.

Filmmaker and producer Sadr Ameli, 63, has 14 feature films in his resume as is actor Mohammad-Reza Foroutan, 49, who has won numerous awards.  With a PhD in strategic management, Khojasteh, 65, also has degree in sociology from the University of Tehran. He is a member of the board of trustees of the Iranian National School of Cinema, affiliated to the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. This year, he also sits on the festival’s policymaking council.

The seven-member jury will judge the competition line-up of the upcoming festival which includes 25 films and select winners of the Crystal Simorgh (Persian legendary bird) Awards in different categories. Slated for Feb. 1-11, the 36th annual event will open at a ceremony in Milad Tower where three cineastes will be honored, namely voice actor Manouchehr Esmaili, 78; veteran filmmaker, producer and screenwriter Mohammad Ali Najafi, 74; and actor Akbar Abdi, 57.