Hafez Awards to launch Ali Moallem prize

Hafez Awards is to present a new prize in memory of its founder Ali Moallem who passed away after a heart attack in March.

The organizers of the Hafez Awards hold a press conference on Saturday.

During the conference, Moallem’s widow Azar Memarian and his son Omid said the prize will be awarded to a person representing an outstanding national achievement.

The 17th edition of the Hafez Awards, to be held in August, is Iran’s first and only private awards in the film industry annually organized by the Persian cinematic monthly Donya-ye Tasvir.

Memarian said “We all know Ali Moallem was the founder of this celebration, a man whose knowledge about the world of cinema was pretty evident for all.”

Noting her collaboration with Moallem as the executive, she added that the 17th edition of the awards will be organized without him, but the event will be in his name.

She also said “Omid will take the wheel as the producer and the secretary of the celebration, and we hope to hold a good celebration this year, like the previous ones.”

Omid also addressed the conference and said they have attempted to pursue his father’s manners and policies in judgments of the films at this edition.

He said “Since we did not have my father with us, this year was a hard year for us, but what encouraged us to continue was that this celebration has been founded for people and my father used to emphasize that it must be organized based on people’s tastes.”

Unveiling the poster for the 17th Hafez Awards, Omid said the white dove symbolizes his father since he often used to appear in a white set of clothes in public.

He also added that “The white dove symbolizes peace as well and we wanted to illustrate that the world needs to move toward peace.”

MG/MMF