Director of 32nd International Film Festival for Children and Youth, Alireza Tabesh, briefed the latest decisions made for holding expert market on the sideline of the event.
Talking to Moj News Agency, Tabesh underlined that for the first time, the festival’s colleges in international section have established a “video library” comprising top post-revolutionary Iranian cinema and children’s films.
First Step for Entering Iranian Children Films in Regional, World Cinema
He added that the festival staffs have collected more than 200 children and the youth Iranian films with English subtitles along with promotional materials such as teaser, posters, and technical information as well as the films’ producers, directors, distributors and agents.
Tabesh said the foreign guests from different countries can choose their favorite works by searching and watching them in Isfahan Province.
“To this end, we have invited film buyers, especially regional ones, to visit Isfahan and visit this section of the festival. These works are designed with English subtitles and international supply standards. I hope this will be a first step towards bringing Iranian cinema and foreign cinema to foreign audiences and connecting this festival with foreign buyers,” he added.
“We have deliberately presented the children and the youth cinema for the past ten years in the festival’s video library, though from famous directors such as late Abbas Kiarostami and Majid Majidi, etc. who are somehow brand of Iranian cinema have also been introduced to the world and their collections will be presented,” he added.
Programs Regarding Current Children, the Youth Cinema’s Developments
“This edition of festival is trying to create a variety of new and innovative programs in line with serving the new generation of audiences in Iran aims to present a post-digital lifestyle, with a variety of up-and-coming internet and digital entertainment and access to a wide variety of visual and entertainment products,” Tabesh said.
“So we have a series of programs in the national and international sections of the festival. For example, the analytical panel for the joint production of children’s film will be held with representatives from six countries,” he added.
He added that seven lectures and workshops on film critics for children, exploring contemporary Iranian child cinema, modern-day virtual reality cinema, short animation, ways to present children’s film in global markets, children’s literacy and children’s cinema narrative components will be held on the sidelined of this international cinematic event.
Sister Cities Come to Isfahan
“Due to historical situation of Isfahan, we have invited guests from the institutions and companies of the seven sister cities of Isfahan. Accordingly, with the focus of Isfahan and those cities, we plan to create a common understanding and cooperation for different editions of the festival, with the aim of strengthening the cinema of children and adolescents between Iran and those countries,” Tabesh added.
MoU with Eurasian Film Festival Association
“We also have a section titled Special Performance, which is being held in collaboration with French Anci Festivals, Tatarstan (Russia), Tbilisi (Georgia) and Copenhagen (Denmark). At the same time, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is being signed with the Eurasian Film Festival Association with Russia and South Korea to support joint production of children’s and the youth films for the next two years. This trilateral memorandum is the result of months of negotiation with our colleagues, which luckily results during the festival period,” Tabesh said.
Highlighting International Media Coverage
“We are trying to invite the international media, especially the regional ones, to attend this festival, as this international event in Isfahan is an important symbol of public and cultural diplomacy in our country,” he added.
“I hope that a large number of mass media could attend in the event. We are also trying to prepare a proper situation for international mass media, the regional media in particular, to reflect the diverse sound of this prestigious cinematic event.”
Presided by Alireza Tabesh, the 32nd International Film Festival for Children and Youth is slated to be held in Province of Isfahan on Aug 19-26, 2019 in the feature, short story, web series, long animation, short animation sections.