In stark contrast to earlier comments, Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance has said that the Fajr Film Festival is free to make its own decisions and screen films as it sees fit.
Speaking to journalists on January 25 after a weekly cabinet meeting, Reza Salehi Amiri said the ministry would not interfere with the festival.
The latest comments contradict earlier statements about the event. On January 19, Amiri told Iranian clerics that the ministry had blocked 10 films from entering the festival on the grounds that they were “inappropriate.”
Fajr Film Festival, which runs for 10 days beginning on February 5 and is overseen by the ministry, screens films by Iranian filmmakers and producers. It also hosts an international festival each year in April, which has a particular focus on films from the Middle East. According to the festival website, Fajr “celebrates cultural exchange, displays creative achievements of highly acclaimed cineastes and showcases films promoting artistic contribution to the medium.” It also says the festival has a moral mission, highlighting “films that seek justice, defend the oppressed and underline humane and moral values”.
The festival is marked by controversy most years. Two years ago, it banned six films from being screened. Celebrated filmmaker Asghar Farhadi spoke at last year’s festival. But he continues to face criticism from some of Iran’s most conservative media outlets, with one newspaper dismissing his recent Oscar nomination for his film The Salesman.
visit the accountability section
In this section of Iran Wire, you can contact the officials and launch your campaign for various problems
Interested in writing for IranWire?
Share your stories.
comments