Loghman Madayen’s Sharp Criticism of the 43rd Fajr Film Festival: Don’t Call it a Festival, Call it an Organic Feast!
According to CinamaDrame News Agency, Loghman Madayen, a film critic and veteran of past festivals, wrote a sharp critique of the 43rd Fajr Film Festival:
The Fajr Film Festival is over, an event that once aimed to globalize Iranian art, succeeding in attracting foreign filmmakers to showcase their works at Fajr. But today, it is no longer alive. If the Fajr Film Festival was on a ventilator last year, this year it officially died. You know the culprit; it’s one of our own, moderate and honorable: Manouchehr Shahsavari!
A man who, like Mohammad Khatami, is a human being but not one to stand firm! He is a mediator but not a leader! He cannot say no; he wants everyone to be satisfied, but is that possible? Shahsavari failed to protect the festival’s prestige. He drowned in the love of power. From the very beginning, when he took cinematic photos of himself landing on the three islands by helicopter, I realized we were dealing with a man who was not quenched, a showman! Dear ones went to his office door; he drank tea in an empty room, but his chief of staff would not let visitors in. He was content with a driver and a private car with a police siren, driving in the special lane! Alas, the lack of personality has reached a point where people do not consider themselves to have character without these things! Now should we expect good management from him? Neither he nor anyone else who comes can do it; it has become systematic. They have seized the vital arteries and show no mercy. They know what the weak point is; they give a few concessions to make weak-willed individuals intoxicated with power.
The Milad Tower parking lots were divided into two categories: a five-story parking lot for festival managers, and a five-story parking lot for media professionals and critics. No one sees Shahsavari; it’s strange, after all, he is Mr. Camera, he enjoys being seen, he lights a cigarette in front of reporters to imitate Mehran Modiri. Now what has happened that he doesn’t come to the festival? No one saw him from the first day. Do you know when he came? When the First Vice President, Aref, came, when the female deputy came, when Hatamikia came. You should have seen him; he would run up the stairs of the festival palace from seven in the morning to stay in front of every camera.
A talented dear one calls, and the conversation turns to Shahsavari. I say, “Poor man, he is a good and honorable person. For years he has been an elder and resolved disputes. He doesn’t want conflict, like Pezeshkian, he constantly seeks consensus, and this prevents him from standing firm!” He says, “Well, he shouldn’t stand firm.” I ask, “What do you mean?” He says, “If a dog bites your leg, do you bend down and bite the dog’s leg? A wise person passes by cautiously!” I laugh; his answer is interesting but useless to us. Does this mean it’s an animal farm here?
When I see Shahsavari begging to bring in honorable people, I remember the phrase “O honorable one before God, intercede for us before God.” He invited honorable people to the stage so that the first positive signal to the people would be that the era of the first ignorance is over, but it hasn’t, Mr. Secretary! Ignorance has become systematic. Even you, who are a healthy person, cannot stand against them! Otherwise, why should low-quality works be screened? You allowed forty films into the festival to showcase what? I told a dear member of the selection committee, “I wish you had resigned in protest!” I wish Ms. Azadivar had resigned! I wish Mr. Soheili had resigned! With what face did you sign off on these works? You disgraced yourselves in the eyes of the artistic community.
I remember Amir Aghaee who said that the duty of an official in the artistic field is to serve the artist, to be their servant!
I see one of the staff members, lacking character and in love with management! What a toxic combination. He says, “We do not intend to allow English media.” I say, “The whole purpose of Fajr was to become global, and now no English media?” He says, “It’s a decision!” He claims that according to the law, they allow only licensed media! I go to the festival, and a multitude of Instagram and YouTube media, without licenses, are rampant, promoting. Now I understand that only “minions” can come without a license.
They keep people, media professionals, and critics in long queues so that photographers can report that the crowd is enthusiastic. The gentlemen are fond of beer but are too embarrassed, so they serve non-alcoholic beer, with sausages and cold cuts. Eat and drink unlimitedly, but don’t protest!
On one side, they give ice cream, on the other, mocha. This is a feast, don’t call it a festival, because it’s nothing more than a gathering, a party. They gathered to watch their films together on a screen and give each other awards.
Which film? It resembles the first episode of state TV series; they know neither research, nor writing, nor form, nor technique!
I see an old staff member. I say, “The festival is over!” He says, “The reformists want to promote the Cinema House celebration against the Fajr Festival, that’s why they are mismanaging this place so that you become disappointed and protests rise!” I ask, “So what about the previous era? Who was in charge then?” He justifies it.
I say, “They let everyone in.” He says, “This is a security strategy. People should come among critics and media so that no one talks to anyone, to create distance, to prevent gatherings, to make people silent and disperse. This has been the case since the beginning of the festival!” This means that even in a festival dedicated to the elite of the artistic community, security management prevails.
I ask, “Why didn’t you allow banned works?” He says, “In the principles of cultural warfare, it is explicitly stated that since the enemy wants to attack the family and promote indecency, works that weaken the family, destroy the mother, attack the father, or are erotic have no place.” I said, “I wish you had seen the works of Jamileh‘s government!” I wish you would say it clearly so that everyone knows where this place is.
A festival where the municipality won’t give Milad Tower if its film doesn’t get in, organizations disrupt the game if the selection committee doesn’t sign! Meaning an organizational festival, now if the content framework of the works is to be guided! It becomes organic! Meaning the hidden hands behind cinema do not consider many works healthy. How can those who make the most unhealthy films with public funds, which are the result of back-breaking taxes from the people, claim to determine the health of works?
I guess Mohsen Rezaee will get the Simorgh this year, after all, he was featured in several films. One group, with specific supporters, criticizes him, saying he never came to the front and was a staff member. The other group defends him, saying he was on the front line, going ahead of others so that the lives of the fighters would not be endangered! Meaning they want to clear his name regarding the story of sacrificing fighters in Karbala 4. I say, “God bless BBC, ever since it released the documentary ‘Creeping Coup,’ Mohsen Rezaee has been revived.”
To the first group who oppose Rezaee‘s work, I ask, “Did you hit him calculatedly?” He says, “I hit him calculatedly!” I ask, “Did they also defend him calculatedly?” He confirms. I laugh, “Can you stop yourself!” The organic works of the festival are spectacular. The disease of the third millennium miracle has also spread to cinema. They made a film where communist guerrillas pray in congregation in the jungle! Lenin’s hair stands on end! Another deals with male-male relationships! Under the minaret! I say, “Your work was weak, not in terms of content, which was a disaster, but in terms of structure!” He says, “My intention was to screen abroad, but they screened it here to prevent me from going.” Amazing! A work that promotes, “If you are in poverty, raise a weapon against your fellow countryman!” Meaning the promotion of hungry riots comes with begging, and the old boy and the wild killer, who are cinema themselves and have no controversies, are eliminated!
Another shows erotic relationships among teenagers, and on the other side, there is a dispute between the IRGC and the prosecutor’s office! They picked on the guerrillas, and none of them have a correct understanding. One copied his script from Mahdavian, another is looking for Behrouz Vossoughi. By the way, did you know Zakani likes Dash Akol? After all, the municipality sponsored a film with that theme, in defense of Afghan immigrants. I said, “The municipality’s forces are from Afghanistan, that’s why they support it to calm public opinion and avoid having to hire Iranian workers.” Another film is anti-Iranian. It says anyone before the revolution was identity-less, and it was this revolution and war that gave people identity! It says anyone who is not martyred is identity-less! Amazing! Amazing to actors like Reza Kianian who acted in it without finding the film’s message.
The Wild Killer was supposed to be screened once on the last day, but it made a mistake. It had a private screening of its product at a specific institution, and the gentlemen watched it and it was torn apart right there. It was intended that those who throw stones would see it at the festival so that their protests would not go anywhere later, while it is rumored that the Leader’s office said the film has no religious problem and removed the excuse from those who create obstacles. But what about The Old Boy? I ask, “Why didn’t you approve it?” They say, “Oktai Barahani was too honest! If he had written in a formal style, we would have accepted it as two years ago, but he wrote real history!” Meaning you have become so law-abiding? The person went all the way to the presidency with fake credentials! He claims the film’s message is patricide and a hundred times worse than Leila’s Brothers! I say, “If you don’t screen it, it won’t be screened?” If Oktai wills it, everyone will see the film! Why do you make him forced to release the film? Learn that the era of monopoly is over, and you have lost control. They say, “We managed him a bit so he wouldn’t make a fuss, otherwise Ms. Azadivar‘s voice would be released, and she would speak against us on BBC!”
The more I hear these words, the more disappointed I become. Perhaps the overthrowers are right; these artists give them legitimacy! They are extremely afraid of a loud voice.
But let me be clear, you didn’t allow The Old Boy and The Wild Killer because if they had come, the organizations wouldn’t have been able to sweep up the awards. You should have given an award to Leila Hatami in The Wild Killer, you should have given an award to Oktai Barahani and Hassan Pourshirazi. You fabricated a case against Reza Babak for his irreplaceable performance so that his glorious name wouldn’t even be among the nominees! You were afraid! Confess you were afraid, otherwise their works, without reaching into people’s pockets and with private sector funding, were more concerned than all your low-quality and content-less films. Someone who can make a three-hour and ten-minute film in Iran’s fifty-minute cinema and keep the audience glued, not blinking, and their opened soda fizzing but not consumed, means they have revived cinema. Now go and make Fossil and Hotel and move the boundaries of obscenity for miles and say you saved cinema. You are like a traffic cop whose presence causes more traffic. Give the field to capable filmmakers, don’t hinder them, and you will see how people queue for them and how the miraculous breath of their work revives Iran’s bankrupt cinema.
I walk upstairs, talking. Suddenly, a loud shout erupts, “Fix your hijab!” The girl’s scarf had fallen, and she was taking a picture. They force her to delete the picture and not take any more, in an ugly, insulting tone, as if these are worse. A hundred blessings upon Amini, but these girls are braver than that. A little further, they have no hijab.
You see many clerics at the festival; I don’t know what the wisdom is? If you studied theology, what are you doing in cinema? If you are interested in cinema, why do you come in clerical attire? Do you link your self-invented attire to the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) to prove yourself? The Prophet (PBUH) wore Arab clothing, not different attire. When they went to the mosque, it was not discernible which one was the Prophet (PBUH). Now you parade in clerical attire, among filmmakers? To be conspicuous and for everyone to see you? This is leadership! Renew your intentions! Each of them formed a team and sat on one side at the table, and poor table!
Masoud Najafi was the most honest member of the festival staff. He was present from beginning to end and tried to do his job in the best possible way. When I see him, because of his voice and face, I remember Reza Davari! He is a good boy. I don’t interact with him, but the truth must be told. I also have criticisms of him that I don’t know how much is his own doing and how much is due to his duty, questions that I hope he answers: Why didn’t he think about the hall’s sound? Why did he issue guest cards for hundreds of people? While media professionals and critics came with difficulty, why did guests enter through the back door before everyone else, and here, cinema veterans suffered knee pain in long queues? Why didn’t you supervise the quality of lunch and dinner meals? Some people got sick! Why didn’t you manage the crowd so that those in line didn’t remain without food and bewildered! Why did they allow YouTube and Instagram media outlets against the rules? Did they have permits from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance? And why didn’t you specify the identity of the films in the announcements? Why didn’t you announce the banned works each night in advance? Why was the information dissemination so weak? Why did you remove the red carpet from in front of veteran critics and media? Why did you design the festival banner with the image of a mother in such a way that it became a mockery? Why did you not answer half of the questions in the press conference, and other media outlets did not get a chance to ask questions? I hope one day the gentlemen learn that it is their duty to be accountable, not to answer out of kindness.
I believe that the actors in this year’s films should be held accountable for their films. There was a time when an artist or blogger would advertise something that was not good or sold low-quality goods, and they would receive so many critical direct messages that they would apologize. But what about the actors who are present in weak works today? Shouldn’t they apologize? They became famous, people go to watch based on their reputation, the work is not worthy, the audience is deceived, their time is wasted, they are tired, shouldn’t that face be accountable? Shouldn’t they apologize for listening to their manager and acting for money and not reading the script? Shouldn’t those who acted in this year’s anti-Iranian film apologize? Were the people identity-less? A little shame! And a hundred greetings to those artists who officially criticized their films this year.
I see a dear one who has a jury card. He says he has only seen two films. I wonder how he intends to judge? I see a member of the selection committee. He says, “It’s not my fault; we had no works to show, we were forced to bring whatever came so it wouldn’t be empty.” He said, “Iranian cinema audiences are 3 percent of society. Our cinema is bankrupt!” He said the previous government invested in comedy works to save it from bankruptcy, gain new audiences, and ensure there was no money for social works that might be concerned. He said, “We showed films from the previous government this year; you should see what works will be screened next year, because those are with the current government’s money.”
In the meantime, only one thing was certain: the new government has sidelined all the officials of the previous government. Each of them who had a platform and were aggressive would secretly come to watch films. The one who last year said that such-and-such a director’s phase didn’t suit us, we wouldn’t invite him, and would go on live television and criticize him, his face is worth seeing this year. Alas for the cycle of power that spares no one.
I talk to those who were aligned with the previous government; they all curse the new managers! I inquire about the secretary of the critics’ association. Interestingly, they criticize him harshly for his courageous stances! They say he is a regime change advocate and pretends to be ideological! They even boycotted him! They don’t cover his writings! But outwardly, they express devotion. Alas for hypocrisy. I see him, Jafar Goodarzi, comes every night with his respected wife and stands by the statement he issued, saying he wants to review all festival films separately. He has seen almost all the works and written his articles, which shows that from such a large association, he alone is carrying the burden of this complex.
I am not a member of the association! But I see that if there was good organization, if its members were committed, how useful they could be. They could prevent bad films, prevent wrong judgments, prevent wrong managements. I wanted to tell Goodarzi, “When you are boycotted, it means it is systematic! When they create controversy for you, it means they are slowly preparing to sideline you!” But in a way that no one cares. In a word, you have become a project. I know why, because the association is under the party law, meaning it is recognized as a party, and they want to turn it into a statement-generating movement by dominating this seat. But he was busy; whenever I saw him, he was walking fast, there was no time. Honestly, he is an expert and writes and criticizes well. Perhaps he is among the top ten film critics in Iran. His emotions are deep, and he still stands by the promise he made at the front to defend the borders of Iran. I hope they don’t bother him.
I see Mr. Fahim. I regret that the high potential of this honorable and great professor is not being properly utilized. His magical mastery of cinema and his Abuzar-like language, who even wrote the sharpest criticisms of their performance in previous governments, was valuable.
The selection committee should have been chosen from various perspectives. How can those whose entire careers have been in a particular genre make a correct judgment about other genres? The jury is also like this; it is not an honor to bring a director to judge another director! Judging is the work of critics. First-class professors should have come. Mohammad Taghi Fahim and Jafar Goodarzi should have been judges. Amir Ghaderi should have judged. Those who have a voice, not those who are enslaved by blind expediency.
Why should Ezzatollah Zarghami be a judge? Someone who, during his tenure at IRIB, could not stand against the pressure of the guiding current, how can he have a fair judgment today? Kiss his moon-like face and let him go worry about roadside restrooms.
He says, “You complain so much, but you still go to the festival?” I say, “The festival is ours. We stayed and poisoned their joy so they wouldn’t celebrate victory! We spoke against Muawiyah from Yazid‘s pulpit, like Lady Zeinab (SA). As one scholar said, ‘Do you know why we stood so firm on Ashura and hold ceremonies? Because once in Ghadir, we were lax, and they took our rights!’ That’s why we don’t hold back on Ashura. This is our story; we suffered from both insiders and outsiders. We do not imprison ourselves in factional silence.”
I thank God, we are not yet dependent, our voice is still loud, to our own extent and our limited ability.
