INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
TEHRAN – Iran and Iraq announced on Sunday a plan to cooperate on a film project on ISIS.Initial talks on the joint project took place
during Cinema Organization of Iran director Mohammad Khazaei’s meeting with the Iraqi Minister of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, Hassan
Nazim, in Baghdad.Nazim expressed his hope that the project would begin during an Iranian film week, which was being held in Baghdad from
July 23 to 25.He said that the film will depict a significant portion of the countries’ struggle against ISIS terrorists based on
historical facts.He added that signing a memorandum of understanding between the two countries can help Iranian and Iraqi filmmakers
exchange their experiences.“The two nations have a lot in common that can help increase their friendly relationship,” Nazim noted
Shohreh Pirani, the widow of the Iranian nuclear scientist Dariush Rezainejad, and Hossein Darabi, the director of the Iranian drama
“Henas” about the life story of the couple, also accompanied Khazaei and his colleagues on the visit to Baghdad
Nazim said martyrs should be commemorated by films, and praised the Iranian director and his crew for making “Henas”, which was
screened during the Iranian film week.On his part, Khazaei said that Iran welcomes any plan for joint film projects on ISIS, the Arbaeen
gathering and Muharram rituals in Iraq, and added, “Iranian cinema made breakthroughs after the victory of the Islamic Revolution and a
booming film market can be set up in collaboration with Iraq.”The Iranian film week, which wrapped up on Monday, also featured “When the
Moon Was Full”.Directed by Narges Abyar, the acclaimed drama tells the story of a woman from Tehran who marries a man from an Iranian
province near the border of Pakistan
Soon afterwards, she discovers that her new brother-in-law is a religious extremist trying to recruit her husband for his bloody cause.Eight
short movies, including “The Feast of the Goat” by Saeid Zamanian, “The Savior” by Soheila Purmohammadi and “White Clad” by Reza
Fahimi, were screened at the event.“The Savior” tells the story of a little girl who lives with her father in a village
After witnessing the death of her mother, she tries to save the fish instead.“White Clad” follows a grandmother who gives Ahmad, a
ten-year-old boy, a cake of cheese to give to his father, who is a teacher
The grandmother hopes that Ahmad’s father will intervene and stop them from hanging her son.Photo: Cinema Organization of Iran director
Mohammad Khazaei (L) and the Iraqi Minister of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities, Hassan Nazim, meet in Baghdad on July 24, 2022.MMS/YAW
