36th Fajr Int’l filmfest to screen 4 Iranian restored classics

A special program at the 36th edition of the Fajr International Film Festival in Tehran has set to screen four restored classics from Iran.

The program titled ‘Classics Preserved’ will also screen seven hits from the world cinema, the organizers announced on Wednesday.

The Iranian section of Classics Preserved is to offer ‘Amir Kabir’, ‘Oh Guardian of Deer’, ‘The Survivor’, and ‘Arbaeen’.

Directed by Ali Hatami, ‘Amir Kabir’ is a re-edition of the TV series ‘Sultan-e Sahebqaran’ (1976) compiled into a movie by its director.

It narrates the story of Iranian reformist prime minister Mirza Taqi-Khan Amir-Kabir and his relations and struggles with the Shah of the time, the Qajar king Nasser ad-Din Shah.

‘The Survivor’ (1995) by Seifollah Daad is based on Palestinian author Ghassan Kanafani’s novel ‘Returning to Haifa’.

It tells the story of a Palestinian couple who goes back to Haifa after the 1967 war to look for their baby, whom they were forced to leave behind during the war in 1948.

‘Oh Guardian of Deer’ (Ya Zamen-e Ahou) (1970) by Parviz Kimiavi is made on the pilgrims who have gone to the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth Shia Imam, in Mashhad.

‘Arbaeen’ (1970) by Nasser Taqvaei is a short film that highlights the traditions and rituals of Arbaeen day observed in the southern Iranian city of Bushehr.

Arbaeen day marks end of a 40-day mourning period following the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions on Ashura, the 10th of Muharram in Lunar Islamic calendar.

The names of the foreign restored classic movies will be announced later.

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

MG/MG