Ammar Intl Popular Film Festival: About Us

About AIPFF

Generally, AIPFF is aimed at raising real awareness and responsibility among the general public. This puts AIPFF against other media that promote individualism, entertainment and extreme enjoyment without caring about the society's troubles and other humans' suppression. AIPFF's mission is to create an atmosphere in which independent filmmakers and thinkers can gather together, partake in sessions to discuss real challenges of the world, and have their voice heard by all nations.

Goals And Strategy

APFF is primarily created and financially supported by the general public; the festival is chiefly organized by people who would readily defend the truth and spend their life and money for that matter. The select movies in APFF are distributed through a voluntary chain of screeners in various parts of the country and the world. The screening places include private houses and city halls, religious spots, schools, universities, public parks, etc. APFF films are displayed in almost all Iranian provinces and cities. In the previous edition of the festival, 10,000 volunteers from Iran and other countries were registered as APFF screeners. It does not matter where they are, people can always join APFF to display its films to their compatriots.
Many professional and amateur filmmakers have contributed to the festival since its formation in 2010. Interestingly enough, many of the contributions were produced many years earlier but their makers had decided to send them to APFF because they believed their productions had not obtained the reception they deserved and there were yet many people who needed to watch them and would find them interesting in the world.

Why popular?

Basically, Ammar festival is founded and funded by people. Their cooperation in the shooting, distributing and screening of the films is highly valued. In addition, Ammar Festival is nearly held all over the country and in some parts of the world, simultaneously. For this reason people have the chance to participate and cooperate with the festival no matter where they are. Also, for the films to be widely seen, they are screened in important public places such as mosques, schools, universities, auditoriums, public parks, theaters and other public places. That’s why it’s called “Popular”.

Founders

Vahid Jalili

Jalili received his master’s degree in Islamic theology and economy from the University of Imam Sadiq (AS). He is now the head of the policy-making council of Ammar Popular Film Festival (APFF).

Nader Talebzadeh

Talebzadeh is a producer, TV presenter, moviemaker, and journalist. He got his BA in English Literature of Randolph–Macon College and has an MA in Film Directing of the University of Colombia.

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Timeline

AIPFF 2016

The 3rd edition of Ammar International Popular Film Festival was started from the 24th of August 2016, marked with the 63rd anniversary of CIA-assisted colonial coup in Iran. In this edition, APFF receive a record-breaking number of submissions with over 5,000 works from 129 countries.

The mission of Ammar International Popular Film Festival is to promote films that depict the true nature of Iran to the world and also show the real picture of other countries across the Iranian borders.

According to the call of this edition the forms of submitting are short, medium long and long in documentary, fiction, and animation.

The special topic of the 3rd edition of AIPFF is the “Influence of Arrogant World Powers on Other Countries”. Some other topics are: The cultural, economic and political means by which arrogant world powers force their influence onto other countries; The history of exerting influence via other means, including governing other countries; The elements within each country that facilitate the influence of arrogant world powers; The methods of Strengthening a country to resist the influence of arrogant world powers.

AIPFF is programmed to host several meetings and workshops on the focused issues during festival event.
AIPFF 2015

The second edition of APFF International was held on January 9 2015 with 930 works from 90 countries. The call for this edition of the festival invited foreign filmmakers to submit their works as short, feature & semi- feature films, in various categories including documentaries, fictions, animations, etc. addressing cultural, socio-economical, environmental and political issues endangering peace, freedom and justice in human society. In addition “Initiatives Popular Movement” was announced as the special topic of this festival.

Among the countries which submitted films to AIPFF, Spain and France stay on top with the former submitting 100 and the latter 70 to this festival. Also Palestine is the most considered topic among the filmmakers.

The jury panel of the festival honored the films “Propaganda”, from New Zealand and “Kawthar” from Iran. The panel also awarded the festival’s statue to “The Writer with no Hands” by William Westawa and “These Walls Will Talk” by Hanif Shahpar Raad. Moreover the screeners rewarded “America’s Surveillance State” by Danny Schechter with the Golden Lantern.
AIPFF 2014

The first edition of the International section of Ammar Popular Film Festival (APFF) was held on the last day of 2013 with 700 works from 70 countries and parallel with the 4^th edition of the APFF’s domestic section. The festival’s call for works started on December 6th invited moviemakers form across the globe to submit their works in the forms of fiction films (short or feature films), documentaries (short or feature), video clips (including music videos, comedies, teasers and very short documentaries on topics attended to by the festival), movie scripts (proposals, synopses and plays), TV programs (documentaries, programs, talk shows, reports, news programs, etc.), articles and movie critiques.

The AIPFF considers the following as its themes:

The Palestinian Crisis, The Islamic Awakening, Western World Crises (the Occupy-Wall-Street and protests in European countries), The History of Anti-Imperialism and Anti-Colonialism, Corruption and its Aftermaths in Different Countries, Views of independent Filmmakers about Iran, and Spiritual and Human Riches of Third-World Communities. Also “Resistive Economy” is announced as the special topic of the festival.

Winners of the1st Ammar International Popular Film Festival are announced as follows:

“The Stones Cry Out” by Yasmine Perni, “The Christian Zionism” by Charles E. Carlson and “The End of Poverty” by Philippe Diaz bagged the special award of the festival. Furthermore, the films “Plunder” by Danny Schechter, “The Unclear Truth” by Reza John Vedadi by “A Pathway to Gaza Prison Camp” by Majid Khabazan were lauded as winners in the ceremony. “The Valentino’s Ghost” by Michael Singh, “The Money Lobby” by Susan Modarres, “Look Behind the Canvass” by Mohsen Barmahani and “Between Anvil and Hammer” by Mohammad Reza Mohammadi Nejat received commendation from the panel of judges for their style and the stories they featured.

The films are selected from among over 700 submissions to the 1st festival which were sent during the 45 days before the submission deadlines.

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Founders

Vahid Jalili

Nader Talebzadeh

Timeline

AIPFF 2016

AIPFF 2015

AIPFF 2014