36th FIff celebrates 120 years of Iranian film history

The 36th edition of the Fajr International Film Festival (FIff) has celebrated 120 years of Iranian cinema history in Tehran.

The celebration was held along with the opening ceremony of the 36th FIff in Tehran’s Felestin Cinema on Thursday.

The ceremony was attended by a large number of Iranian cineastes and foreign guests and veteran actor Reza Kianian cut a cake prepared for the celebration.

In a short speech, Kianian said, “We have a number of good films this year and I hope you will all like and welcome the films.”

A photography exhibition is underway at Tehran’s Charsou Cineplex to mark the 120th anniversary of cinema in Iran.

Manager of Special Events Program of the 36th FIff Seifollah Samadian said the exhibit demonstrates Iranian cinema’s history with photographs taken from 120 films.

According to Samadian, the pictures may later be sent to the National Archives of Iranian Cinema.

Three festival posters from previous editions are also on display at Charsou.

In addition, a collection of photos by the Paris-based Iranian photographer Alfred Yaqubzadeh on Palestine’s Intifada opened at the 14 Gallery as part of the programs arranged for the festival.

The collection titled 'Intifada Uprising' puts the spotlight on Palestinians and three decades of their uprising against the Israeli occupation of their homeland.

The exhibit is being organized in the Broken Olive Branches section, which is screening films on the upheavals in today’s Muslim world.

Established in 1982, the FIff celebrates cultural exchange, displays creative achievements of highly acclaimed cineastes and pays tribute to local and international films.

Since its establishment, the Fajr International Film Festival 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 and across the world every year.

Directed by Reza Mirkarimi, the 36th edition of the FIff has been slated for April 19-27, 2018, in the Iranian capital city of Tehran.

MG/MMF