cinema trust Hassan Lotfi wrote in Etemad newspaper: Fajr Film Festival is not only the most important film festival in Iran, it is also the only one. Although there has been a decline in audience in recent years and the long queues of the 70s and 80s in front of cinemas showing his films are no longer heard, but its impact on the country’s filmmaking process and cinema economy cannot be denied.
Perhaps for this reason, the members of its policymaking council can play an important role in the improvement or destruction of Iranian cinema. The late announcement of the policymaking council of the 43rd Fajr Film Festival shows once again that it seems that young people, independent filmmakers and new faces are not going to breathe new life into this bad festival. Of course, there is no doubt that the film deputy did not play much due to the short life of his activity and the short remaining time in the festival.
This look and opinion is not supposed to be a proposal for the upcoming festival. But as a rule, every cultural, economic, social and political plan needs a long-term plan for the future. Most likely, the 43rd Fajr Film Festival will not be the last of this festival. (The fact that I don’t say definitively is because of all the good and bad things that may happen to the festival, the country and the world) but definitely if the world does not end and the seventh art is not completely closed and… the young and independent filmmakers of Iran will continue to make films. . Fortunately, their number is increasing day by day.
With this account, the share they will find in Iranian cinema will increase. I don’t think that the voice of these young people and filmmakers will be included in the policy making council of the upcoming festival. A voice that, if heard, can cause more movement in this festival. A festival that, although he is younger than the youngest member of the policy making council (50-year-old Alireza Tabesh), but needs to breathe new blood into the veins that are connected to the country’s cinema artery. To be more clear, these people, who fortunately are among the best in Iranian culture and art (with high and low degrees), but they have relatively the same view and attitude.
For many years, they have made programs for Fajr, Farabi, Khane Cinema and… and… what if there were people who had a different view of planning for cinema and festivals. What if they had no experience in management and were only filmmakers, critics, experts, etc.
What if instead of sixty, it was the sixties or even younger? The intention is not to reject the experienced and knowledgeable people and the acquired experience. The intention is to give a platform to the ideas that young people have in their minds who have not been made numb, lazy and considerate by the softness of the chair of government administrations. It is better not to leave the khandais (meaning expedient-minded people similar to the Khandai character of the film Qaiser) from the politics of the Fajr film festival, cinema, theater, art and culture, etc., but also give seats to energetic and passionate young people like Qaiser (film character) give the same name from Masoud Kimiaei). Maybe in that case, the position of experimental cinema, independent filmmakers, short film makers and underground films, etc. will improve.