Iran launches portable Cinema Arbaeen

Iran has launched a program titled ‘Cinema Arbaeen’ to screen epic Iranian movies for the Arbaeen march near the Iran-Iraq border.

The Iranian Youth Cinema Society organized the program in collaboration with the Art and Cultural Organization of the Tehran Municipality

It includes holding portable silver screens in the western Iranian cities of Shalamcheh and Chazabeh in Khuzestan Province and Mehran in Ilam Province.

The screens are offering ‘Damascus Time’ and ‘The Lost Strait’ and they will be on the show until October 29.

Ebrahim Hatamikia’s ‘Damascus Time’ focuses on security threats by terrorists when an Iranian plane, conveying humanitarian aid to Syria, is challenged in Damascus Airport.

Popular Iranian actors such as Babak Hamidiyan and Hadi Hejazifar as well as a number of actors from Syria and Lebanon star in the movie.

‘Damascus Time’ has grabbed some awards, including Crystal Simorghs for Best Director and Best Music Composition at the latest edition of the Fajr Film Festival in Iran.

It has been screened in Iraq as well as Syria and was warmly received by the viewers in the countries.

The epic film, ‘The Lost Strait’ won the Best Film Crystal Simorgh and the film's director, Bahram Tavakkoli, received the Crystal Simorgh for Best Director for this film at the 36th Fajr Film Festival.

The film also brought the Crystal Simorgh prize for respective contributors, including Best Sound Recording to Rashid Daneshmand, Best Make Up to Saeed Malekan and Best Special Effects to Mohsen Rouzbahani.

'The Lost Strait', also led winners at the National Will Manifestation strand, which was held in Arvand Free Trade Zone (AFZ) located in the southwest corner of Iran.

It depicts Iranian combatants in an epic battle during the last days of the Iraq-imposed war on Iran.

Javad Ezzati, Amir Jadidi, Mehdi Pakdel, Ali Soleimani, Mehdi Qorbani and Hamid-Reza Azarang, are among its cast members.

The religious ritual of Arbaeen is performed to observe the end of the 40-day mourning period following the martyrdom of the third Shia imam, Imam Hussein (AS), and his loyal companions on Ashura. Arbaeen falls on October 30 this year.

In order to visit the holy shrines of Imam Hussein (AS) and his brother Hazrat Abbas (AS), pilgrims from various Iranian cities start their journey to the Iraqi city of Karbala (mostly on foot) some days before Arbaeen.

MG/MG