ICFF opens with tribute to young martyrs

The 38th edition of the International Film Festival for Children and Youth of Isfahan (ICFF) opened on Saturday during a ceremony honoring martyred children and adolescents.

The ceremony, attended by festival secretary Hamed Jafari, Isfahan Mayor Ali Qassemzadeh, as well as members of the City Council and municipal officials, began with a visit to the Martyrs’ Cemetery of Isfahan, where participants paid tribute to the city’s children and adolescents who were martyred during the 12-Day War and the Ramadan War.

Speaking at the ceremony, Jafari said he hoped the festival would become a blessing for future generations, allowing children and adolescents to live with hope, motivation and a positive outlook toward the future.

“We had hoped that the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Iran and its people in the recent wars could have witnessed the opening of this new edition of the festival,” he said.

Qassemzadeh noted that this year’s festival was being held in a different atmosphere, particularly following the martyrdom of children at Shajareh Tayyebeh School in Minab.

“It is natural for the atmosphere of the festival to be affected by the martyrdom of the children of Shajareh Tayyebeh School in Minab, and we cannot remain indifferent to such an incident,” he said.

The mayor stated that the festival had retained its cultural and artistic character, pointing to Isfahan residents’ determination to maintain social and cultural activities even during periods of conflict and enemy attacks.

He said the same spirit was reflected in the continuation of the festival, adding that difficult circumstances should not prevent children from pursuing their dreams, talents and creative activities.

The mayor also described the current edition as the first international festival held in Isfahan following the US aggression against Iran, saying efforts had been made to strengthen the event’s international profile after 38 editions.

The families of martyrs Seyyed Mostafa Tabatabaee, Jafar Aqapour, Mehdi Nasr-Esfahani, Moeen Heidari, Mehdi Bokaee, and several others were honored during the ceremony.

The 38th ICFF will run until October 8 in Isfahan with the participation of the Farabi Cinema Foundation and Isfahan Municipality.