Urban film festival honors veteran actress Zhaleh Olov

The 6th edition of the International Urban Film Festival in Tehran has honored the veteran Iranian actress Zhaleh Olov.

The actress’s 90th birth anniversary was celebrated at the closing ceremony of the event with a big cake adorned with her picture.

Paying tribute to Olov, veteran actor Jamshid Mashayekhi went on stage and said, “In the late 1940s, radio programs were very popular among the public. On Fridays, there was a program about theater in which Olov had a very effective role. It is my pleasure to stand beside this artist tonight”.

Olov also addressed the ceremony and appreciating the organizers of the festival she said, “You have always been kind to me. I love my country so much and respect my people. I have lived to this day, just for the love of you”.

Born in 1927 in Tehran, Olov graduated from the Technical School of Acting in Tehran in 1950.

She began radio hosting and presenting while in school and later turned to radio acting. She began theater and cinema acting in 1947.

Four years later, she took on voice acting, lending her talent to characters played by Sophia Loren, Gloria Swanson and Susan Hayward. She has also voice acted in animations such as 'Cinderella', 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs', 'Sleeping Beauty' and 'Pinocchio'.

Olov has acted in movies as well, such as 'Storm of Life', 'Enchanter', 'Dash Akol', 'Retribution', 'The Tanker Wars', 'Snowman', 'The Fateful Day', 'Soltan' and 'The Visitor of Rey' from 1948 to 2001. Her last cinema appearance was in 'Mom's Guests' in 2003.

She has also appeared in a long list of series from 1984 to 2011, including 'Amir Kabir', 'The Wolves', 'Once Upon a Time', 'The Cherry Orchard', 'The Cuckoo's Song', 'Under the Umbrella of the Sun', 'Loaded Gun', 'Lighter Than Darkness', 'Love's Homework', 'Day of Departure', 'Hourglass', 'Sheikh Bahaee' and 'Mokhtarnameh'.

The 6th edition of the International Urban Film Festival concluded in Tehran on August 5.

The festival is organized by the Art and Culture Organization of Tehran Municipality in more than ten movie theaters across Tehran.

The event is aimed to improve the quality of city life and urban culture, as well as protect and promote the Iranian-Islamic lifestyle.

MG/MG