Int’l Rezvan fest on religious films to debut following national section

The inaugural International Rezvan Festival on religious films is gearing up for its debut, aiming to foster artistic exploration within the realm of religious themes, following its national section. 

Scheduled for October of this year, the national section of the festival will lay the groundwork for the international showcase slated for May 2025.

Organized by the Imam Reza (AS) International Art and Cultural Foundation, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, this event is to enrich the cultural landscape.

The Rezvan Festival, premiering as part of the 21st Imam Reza (AS) International Festival, marks a significant addition to the annual celebration.

Spanning diverse mediums including articles, plays, screenplays, visual arts, and now cinema, the festival aims to provide a platform for burgeoning talent while embracing the richness of religious storytelling.

At a press conference, the festival secretary Mohammad Hossein Latifi, as quoted by Tehran Times, highlighted the focus on short and semi-feature films, inviting submissions from filmmakers under 33.

He emphasized that the competitive section will prioritize works produced from 2023 onwards, with a maximum duration of 20 minutes for shorts and 45 minutes for semi-features.

Latifi expressed a vision for the festival to serve as a springboard for emerging filmmakers, nurturing their ability to tackle religious themes and paving the way for future feature-length endeavors.

Farhad Qaemian, also the secretary of the 21st Imam Reza (AS) Int’l Festival, underscored the festival's commitment to fostering talent.

He announced the commencement of submissions on April 29, along with plans for educational workshops to cultivate filmmaking talent in the coming months.

Strategic advisor Seyyed Javad Refaei outlined the festival's dual categories: a broad religious category encompassing diverse faiths and a Razavi category centered on the Islamic world and Imam Reza (AS). Special attention will be accorded to debut films, with separate evaluation and recognition.

Notably, the festival invites everyone to participate through its mobile filmmaking category, promoting broad engagement in filmmaking.

Furthermore, the "From Idea to Film" category aims to empower creators with limited resources, harnessing their creativity and potential.

To increase the influence of short films, Refaei revealed partnerships with IRIB channels and the Cinema Organization of Iran. Plans are underway for televised broadcasts and theatrical screenings to make the festival's films widely accessible.

The ceremonial unveiling of the festival's poster marked the conclusion to the announcement, signaling a new chapter in the realm of religious cinema.

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