Fajr Film Festival plans to hold in-person screenings

The 39th edition of Fajr Film Festival is set to hold in-person screenings in Iran’s lower-risk cities amid COVID-19 safety protocols.

A Health Ministry official unveiled the circumstances under which the festival is allowed to hold in-person screenings.

The official stressed that auditorium capacity will be cut by 50 percent in “blue” cities and by 70% in “yellow” cities to maintain social distancing.

Iranian authorities divided the country by colors blue, yellow, orange and red, with the seriousness of infection increasing in that order.

The official stressed that tickets will be sold online.

Last month, Mohammad-Mehdi Tabatabaeenejad, the head of the FFF, announced that the 2021 edition of the event will be held without public screenings and will only see jurors watching and judging the participating movies.

Tabatabaeenejad said the festival may hold physical screenings for audiences if the coronavirus situation improves.

The 39th Fajr Film Festival will take place from January 31 to February 10.

The FFF coincides with the Ten-Day Fajr ceremonies across Iran, marking the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Since its establishment in 1982, the FFF has played a vital role in the development of Iranian Cinema.

Supervised by Iran’s Ministry of Culture, the festival hosts veteran directors and new filmmakers from Iran every year.

SQ/AG