Production of International Works Top Priority

TEHRAN (AIPFF) - The secretary of APFF, Nader Talebzadeh, upon the Festival crew’s visit to him, said “We are expected to bring production of international works into focus in the forthcoming events of the Festival. Such initiatives of course, will give rise to dire consequence."

TEHRAN (AIPFF) – The secretary of Ammar Popular Film Festival, Nader Talebzadeh, upon the Festival crew’s visit to him, said, “We are expected to bring production of international works into focus in the forthcoming events of the Festival. Such initiatives, of course, will give rise to dire consequences.”

They went through issues concerning the works of the upcoming Ammar Festival. The head of the policy-making council of Ammar Popular Film Festival, Vahid Jalili, accompanied by the Festival crew, called on Nader Talebzadeh at his home.

“The works received are of wide variety, from different cities including Arasbaran, Birjand, etc. It can be said that the colors of the Festival’s rainbow are quite eye-catching, providing a source for hope,” stated Jalili in this visit referring to the 7^th Ammar Popular Film Festival.

“One of the strong points of this year’s festival is the participation of quality works with focus on popular characters like one entitled as “Mashti Esmael” that was screened a couple of years back.” he added.

Vahid Jalili visits Nader Talebzadeh – Photo: Meisam Malekipour

“The good point Ammar Festival and its popular filmmakers enjoy is its trend in which it appreciates works that the media, like the National Radio and Television, have no taste for broadcasting; however, with regard to people’s interest in such works nationwide, the media are spontaneously made to broadcast them, demonstrating the truth of the fact that Ammar Festival has managed to achieve its aim,” Talebzadeh said.

Pointing to his participation in a festival as a judge, the secretary of Ammar Festival stated, “When I watched the works of foreign filmmakers in that festival, I came to the conclusion that Iranian documentary filmmakers stood head and shoulders above the foreign ones, one of the reasons of which is the cultural war that our country has become entangled in.”

Pointing out that he is prepared for holding educational courses for filmmakers and those interested in this field, Talebzadeh said, “We are supposed to put forward the core message of the Islamic Revolution in the international arena as it is time to prove the fact that Muslims are, unlike the western media propaganda, neither terrorists nor dangerous people.”

“Iran’s contemporary history as well as the issues concerning the Islamic Revolution, on the one hand, are among the issues which must be taken seriously, and on the other hand, we should think well of producing international works in a way that we can band together with international actors in order to use their experience in these works,” he added.

“As an example, a documentary about ‘Islamophobia in Spain’ has been broadcast while we know that Muslims had settled in that country for several centuries. This is indicative of the fact that we have failed to put forward something about Islam and the culture of Ahl al-Bayt (People of the House) to international audiences,” he went on to say.

The secretary of Ammar Festival said, “Ammar Festival has zoomed in on scouting filmmakers and those having regard for this field all over the country. However, we should bring production of international works into focus in the forthcoming events of the Festival. Such initiatives, of course, will give rise to dire consequences.”

“At the present moment no one can censor as well as turn a blind eye to works and issues related to Iran and Islamic culture in the international arena,” he added.

Nader Talebzadeh upon the festival crew’s visit to him – Photo: Meisam Malekipour

Expressing enthusiastic approval of the film ‘Orphanage of Iran’, he stated, “This film is a work of art that can be thought highly of in the western countries as well. Participation of English-language actors in this film is something of a novelty, the idea of which its director, Abolghasem Talebi, has put forward and fulfilled in a perfect way”.

“This film is not peculiar to Iranian audiences and consequently it should be screened in the western countries such as England, which is under obligation to us due to its role in the great famine in Iran, as well as the Islamic Centers of which Iran is more or less in charge. I suggested this idea for the film crew, as well, to think about,” the secretary of Ammar Festival said.

Pointing to the US Presidential Election and also the deliberate interference of England Embassy with the normal progress of making the television program “Asr” in London, Talebzadeh concluded, “We should make a change in the presentation and arrangement of our media activities in the international arena in a way that we can produce programs in the western countries and broadcast to domestic and foreign audiences.”

It should be noted that Nader Talebzadeh, already suffering from heart disease, was bio-terrorized by a number of armed forces during his stay in Iraq, thereby causing him to be in poor health.