Some 35 women critics, writers, jurors, producers and filmmakers from 20 countries are attending this year’s Fajr International Film Festival. This includes holding workshops, seating jury members, or simply competing with other filmmakers for top awards.
There are 58 women agents and producers from 32 countries attending this year’s Film Market, either trying to purchase or sell film distribution rights. As always, the festival has been big for women in all other categories and sections, celebrating their accomplishments in the business.
Women filmmakers come from places such as Estonia, Russia, Lithuania, South Korea, France, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Armenia, Slovenia, Britain, Sweden, and Bulgaria.
Women jurors come from India, Portugal, Georgia, Syria, Italy and Iran. Three women filmmakers are hosting a section dedicated to Chinese cinema. A woman filmmaker is hosting a section dedicated to German cinema. As well, women are holding filmmaking workshops, from a host of countries, including Netherlands, China, Germany, Romania and Italy.
As always, the official policy of FIFF is to have more women to make films, and the best way to make that happen is to celebrate the women leading the way and to share information with each other. The long-term goal is to celebrate a world cinema that is supportive of all gender and race, providing a platform and community for filmmakers to share resources, guidance and inspiration.
Presided over by award-winning writer and director Seyyed Reza Mirkarimi, the 37th Fajr International Film Festival is underway in Tehran until April 26. For further information, please visit our website at www.fajriff.com.
