TEHRAN – The 43rd Fajr International Theater Festival (FITF) opened in Tehran on Tuesday, with the presence of Deputy Culture Minister (Arts) Nadere Rezai, theater experts and artists.
Notable participants of the ceremony included veteran actors and stage directors Akbar Zanjanpour, Davoud Fatalibeigi, Alireza Oshvand, Hossein Mosafer Astaneh, Farzaneh Neshatka, Azita Hajian, Saeed Asadi, Shahram Karami , Behzad Farahani, Parisa Moqaddam, Ayub Akhaqani, Hadi and other celebrities. Mr. Mehr reported, among others, Mr. Marzban and Leyli Aaj.
During the event, the emblem of the Soldiers of the Fatherland in memory of the martyr General Qassem Soleimani was unveiled. This coat of arms was awarded to the family of the martyr Revolutionary Guards General Raj Mousavi by Keylora Takianipour and Leiri Aji.
Meanwhile, the son of martyr Mousavi expressed his gratitude to Takianipour, saying that he worked like an unsung hero in the cultural field and contributed to the creation of many resistance works. “Just as many soldiers of our homeland have contributed, you artists have also made great efforts in the field of culture,” he said.
General Raji Mousavi is one of the oldest advisers to Syria’s Revolutionary Guards and an ally of General Qasem Soleimani. He was martyred in 2023 during an Israeli military attack on the Zainabiya area on the outskirts of Damascus.
In addition, certificates and trophies were awarded to the top winners in the photography, poster, and script categories.
The ceremony also honored Mahmoud Pakhniat, Fariba Motekases, Hushan Hihavand and Farideh Daryamaj for their lifetime achievements in the field of theater.
As the inauguration coincided with the birthdays of Akbar Zanjanpour and Behzad Farahani, the two veteran artists celebrated their contributions by blowing out the candles on their birthday cakes.
Earlier this month, festival organizers announced that the festival had received applications from 46 countries around the world.
A total of 231 works from 46 countries applied to participate in this year’s event, including Russia, Norway, Sweden, Canada and several African countries, said Mojgan Vakili, director of the festival’s international department.
However, the international division will be held as a non-competitive division. “The decision to hold the international section in a non-competitive format was taken by the festival organizers,” she added.
She said 20 works were prioritized for the final selection, culminating in six stage performances and one online presentation.
In addition, 15 international instructors applied to conduct workshops at the festival, representing countries such as Canada, France, Africa, Tunisia and India, she said.
After evaluating the quality of the proposed themes, a workshop entitled ‘Exploring Contemporary Theater’ featuring lecturers from India will be held over three days during the festival, she added.
This year’s edition also includes a section dedicated to Gaza’s oppressed people, featuring performances on stage.
“Six stage productions will be performed in the Gaza section,” she explained.
The 43rd Fajr International Theater Festival will be held until February 1st.
SAB/