On Monday, Minister of Education Seyyed Mohammad Bathaei visited the Festival Palaise of the 2018 Fajr Filmfest, during which he lauded the new added section called The 7th Hour.
In his visit to Charsou Cineplex, the Iranian minister first met with Festival Director Reza Mirkarimi and Head of Festival Palaise Reza Kianian. He then watched Abu Ghraib Strait by Bahram Tavakoli and attended The 7th Hour series, which screens movies for schoolchildren in 10 Cineplex and cinemas in Tehran.
Speaking to reporters, Minister Bathaei said: A major weakness of the educational system is that it doesn’t involve schoolchildren in extracurricular activities. The problem comes in when students have no life outside their classrooms. This is because they failed to develop cultural and social skills.
According to Minister Bathaei, The 7th Hour is an opportunity for schoolchildren to develop social skills, learn new and useful skills, have a sense of commitment to whatever they are involved in, and develop in all aspects. This includes intellectual, cultural and social capabilities.
With director Reza Mirkarimi at helm of 2018, Fajr Filmfest continues to herald stronger comebacks from Asia, Europe and Middle East. Whatever one says of Middle East cinema and its power rankings, the region’s best and most powerful showcase for cinema is, has been and for all foreseeable time will be this festival, which runs in Charsou Cineplex and other venues in Tehran until April 27.
