50 countries to attend FIFF36 workshops

Students from 50 countries have been set to attend workshops of the 36th edition of the Fajr International Film Festival in Iran.

The workshops series, called “Darol Fonoun”, are being managed by Iranian writer and director Maziar Miri, the festival's official website announced on March 3, 2018.

Miri said there are several training workshops this year, with 50 countries and 110 students attending for a period of one week.

This year’s students will be 55 Iranian and 55 foreign nationals. They all come from top universities and prestigious film schools, with hands-on experience in filmmaking.

They will be admitted to these classes once they are picked by the selection committee. The top student of this year’s series will get the chance to make his own short film sponsored by the Festival at the end of the classes.

Miri also explained that in the first two years there were no more than 14 to 30 countries. But with 50 countries this year it has gone up significantly.

Top filmmakers, movie critics and scholars from around the globe have been invited to teach at the workshops. They will teach film making techniques, he added.

International guests and applicants will once again be selected by a committee of directors and academics; so those willing to participate in this year’s series will have to send their resumes and be a graduate of film school, Miri concluded.

The decision to hold the workshops was made by Reza Mirkarimi who is presiding over the Festival to pay special attention to filmmaking during the annual event.

The workshops' goals include turning the festival into a major cultural and academic affair in the region. As per the plan, this part is presented to spot new film talents in Iran and the broader region.

The workshops will start two days ahead of the official opening of the Festival and finish two days ahead of the closing ceremony. The program will include film screening, expert discussions, and city sightseeing.

The 36th edition of the Fajr International Film Festival is slated for April 19-27, 2018, in Tehran.

MG/MF