Masoud Najafi: One of the features of this period was the prominent presence of filmmakers in the selection committee.
The Public Relations Manager of the Fajr Film Festival in the Iranian Breakfast program on Channel Two.
According to cinemadrame, Masoud Najafi, the Public Relations Manager of the festival, speaking on the “Iranian Breakfast” program on Channel Two, discussed the process of selecting films for the festival, saying: The 43rd festival began with the appointment of Manouchehr Shahsavari, a well-known figure in cinema, as the secretary of the festival in this new period. Following that, the festival headquarters was formed, and its meetings were held regularly. The festival secretary continued the process in line with the call for submissions issued by the previous secretary of this period.
Prominent Presence of Filmmakers in the Selection Committee
He added: After the submission deadline on November 30th, the work of the selection committee, consisting of seven filmmakers, began. One of the features of this period was the prominent presence of filmmakers in the selection committee, most of whom were experiencing such a role for the first time. These individuals started their work early in the morning with great energy and carefully evaluated the submitted films.
The Public Relations Manager of the 43rd festival discussed the festival films, stating: The output of this selection committee consisted of 33 films from Iranian cinema and 4 animations, after which the festival entered a more serious phase. For the first time this year, to ensure the quality of the films, a final test will be conducted at the Farabi Cinematic Foundation, where the film “Esfand,” directed by Danesh Eghbashaavi, will be tested today. Over the next few days, all films will undergo final testing to ensure they are fully prepared for the festival. Previously, some films submitted to the festival had technical issues, but this year, the test will be coordinated with laboratories to ensure a flawless technical presentation at the festival.
The Draw Ceremony Will Be Held on the Birthday of Imam Ali (PBUH)
He discussed the timing of the festival film draw, saying: As is customary every year, the draw ceremony for the screening schedule will be held on Tuesday, January 16th, coinciding with the birthday of Imam Ali (PBUH), and the screening schedule for the Milad Tower and Mellat Cinema Complex will be announced.
Najafi also spoke about the return of the People’s Simorgh Award to the festival, saying: The People’s Award was removed from the festival starting from the 40th edition for certain reasons, but this year, it will be part of the festival awards again. Several meetings were held to ensure the voting process would be as error-free as possible. A team of festival members and CinemaShahr Institute, led by Mr. Ali Ashtiani-Pour, held numerous meetings to develop a model that would reduce errors in collecting the public votes.
The Public Relations Manager of the festival pointed out: In the provinces, we will also have screenings of the festival films. In Tehran, from February 1st, screenings will begin at Milad Tower and Mellat Cinema, along with the public cinemas. The screenings at Milad Tower will continue until February 10th, and the public cinemas will run until February 11th, with films being shown in a total of 33 cinema complexes in Tehran. Additionally, this year, along with the start of the festival, the “Hamila” Cinema Complex in the Punak area of Tehran will also be inaugurated.
The Opening Ceremony of the 43rd Festival Will Be Held at the Vahdat Hall
Najafi discussed the opening ceremony of the festival, saying: This year, the opening ceremony will take place on February 1st at Vahdat Hall. During this event, there will be an honoring and award presentation for the advertising section. The discussions for the tribute are nearing finalization, and we will announce it as soon as it is confirmed.
He considered the films selected for the main section of the festival to be diverse, stating: In various sections, we have social, Sacred Defense, historical, comedy, and animation films. Overall, we will witness a variety of works and the participation of filmmakers from different generations. From Ibrahim Hatami Kia, Rasul Sadr-Ameli, and Abolfazl Jalili, who are participating in the festival after many years, to young filmmakers who are taking part this year, and according to the statements of the selection committee members, they could be the surprises of this edition.
