To celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of cultural relations between India and Iran, Delhi is hosting a four-day Iranian film festival. The event has been organised by India’s Directorate of Film Festivals in association with Iran Culture House, New Delhi and is showcasing a collection of 14 eminent films like Track 143 by Narges Abyar, So Close, So Far by Reza Mirkarimi and Gold and Copper by Homayoun Asadian.
“The idea of the festival is to give the Indian audiences a glimpse of Iranian cinema and to commemorate the 60th year of signing of cultural agreements between New Delhi and Tehran,” shares C. Senthil Rajan, director, Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF), adding, “We’re screening all award-winning films. The schedule is designed in a manner that people get a sense of the Iranian culture along with the cinema.”
Most of the films screened are narratives of common people caught in the whirlpool of life situations, says Senthil. Manouchehr Hadi’s engaging family drama Someone Wanted To Talk To You captures the struggle of a woman estranged from her husband, while her daughter lies in a hospital bed. On the other hand, director Homayoun Assadian’s Kissing The Moon-Like Face is the story of two female neighbours waiting for the bodies of their sons who disappeared during war. Another film by Assadian, Gold And Copper is the tale of a young cleric who visits Iran with his family to attend ethical classes, and what happens after his wife falls ill.
While many films focus on the issues revolving around the Iranian people on the day-to-day basis, there are also others that take the audience on an adventurous trip like The Maritime Silk Road, which revolves around two ship captains who want to transport consignments from the Indian Ocean to China and are attacked by pirates.
From references to wars, to the battle of relationships, these cinematic treats present the life of Iran in a nutshell. “Alongside screenings of these films, there will also be an exhibition of Iranian artworks and handicrafts with 70 to 80 panels,” shares Senthil. “Ronak, an Iranian ensemble, performed a selection of Iranian traditional music at the opening ceremony and the show opened with Reza Mirkarimi’s acclaimed drama A Cube of Sugar, which was Iran’s entry in the best foreign language film category at the 85th Academy Awards. We also have handicrafts and food stall on the sidelines of the event.”
He further informs that the festival is just a build up to the series of events being planned under the new cultural agreement between Iran and India. “It is an initiative taken by both the governments after the renewal of cultural agreement signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Tehran in May,” explains Rajan.
He continues, “During the meet it was decided to take forward old associations with Iran, through cultural exchanges, including festivals of art, literature, films and music.”
The festival also paid tribute to celebrated Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, whose Taste of Cherry won Cannes’ top prize in 1997, who recently died at the age of 76.
