The 37th Fajr International Film Festival got underway in the Iranian capital Tehran on Wednesday, April 17, commemorating recent flood victims in provinces of Golestan, Khouzestan and Lorestan.
Building on the success of last year’s event, the ceremony included opening of Cinema Path on Mozaffar Brothers Street, attended by filmmakers, Tehran Municipality officials, Festival organizers and guests.
Opened by Iranian director Ebrahim Hatamikia’s classic movie The Scout in Felestin Cinema, the talent and crew attended the screening session. The program included official unveiling of specially designed poster of The Scout. Hatamikia and Festival Director Seyyed Reza Mirkarimi were in attendance.
The Scout, a book in English, Persian and Arabic, written by Shahab Esfandiari, was unveiled. The book is a review of several movies made by Hatamikia including The Scout. The movie will screen in the Classics Preserved section of Festival.
A video clip about recent floods in the country was also played along with a folk music concert. Before opening of the ceremony, a cooperation MOU was signed between the Festival and the Iranian Red Crescent Society.
A showcase for audiences for more than three decades, now with 163 features and shorts from 64 countries unspooling on screens, the Festival is hosting over 250 international guests from 58 countries. 60 students from Iran and abroad attend this year’s workshops called Talent Campus.
80 international guests attend the Film Market, while 46 distributors from 22 countries will hold talks to purchase movies from Iranian producers and companies. 23 international film companies from 11 countries take part in the Film Market at Charsou Cineplex. They will have the chance to watch 52 Iranian movies and talk to producers about distribution rights.
For short movies, the organizers have made watching multiple films even easier by creating thematic sets of movies that have been grouped together to provide two hours or less of viewing. This narrows down the huge selection and helps attendees choose a genre they enjoy and not be faced with picking from the vast menu of choices on offer.
Presided over by award-winning writer and director Seyyed Reza Mirkarimi, the 37th Fajr International Film Festival runs until April 26. For further information, please visit our website at www.fajriff.com.
