There was a gap between the last time you served as the president of the festival until this year that you joined it again. What have changed in this gap?
I believe there was proper steps are taken forward. I was concerned about screening spaces which was properly improved and led to higher sales in cinema. Children films are not made as often as other films. That is a weak point which we try to change for better. Digital studios are replacing analogue technology.
However, the overall structure of the festival has not changed. Foundation of a fan club has drawn the audiences’ attention to films and screening of children movies.
Some critics would say the number of films in children cinema is not as many as needed to hold an international film festival. However, the Iranian children cinema is a result of previous children festivals. How do you evaluate such criticism?
Continuity is the key to promote a cultural project. If we can keep production, festival and screening connected all the time. If we lose one of these elements, we will lose the other two too. However, maintaining such connections can lead to extraordinary results. I believed the festival has played its role pretty well so far. We like to continue the same path and provide more opportunities for good quality films.
The festival provides an opportunity for cheerful atmosphere for the audience. How do you include such an element in your policy makings?
Our audience expects high quality films with a different angle and even a different narration. We must convey our audiences’ expectations to filmmakers and they must consider such expectation in their future evaluation of the audience. It must be a two-way traffic between the audience and the filmmakers.
The 30th edition of the festival put extra focus on scriptwriting. What was the reasoning behind such a decision?
We always had a scriptwriting category in our festival. However, with some extra attention to this category with received over 300 scripts. Firstly we can easily see the potentials of scriptwriting in the country. Secondly, such scripts should not be archived, we must find ways to pass them to producers, directors and any artists who turn their works in film.
The animation section seems to be very popular this year too. How do you evaluate that?
When creating an animated film, most of the team spends their times in studios. That is the reason why they do not face typical problems a filmmaker faces. However, they face different obstacles. Iran has much potential to let the animators grow and we must use such potentials.
How can the festival help animation industry?
The festival must take animation industry seriously, encourage animators, and attract the audience attention to animation production.
What is going to be done for the lodgment of the festival?
We signed a five-year agreement to hold the festival in Isfahan. The agreement will apportion responsibilities between Isfahan and the Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry.
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