Khosrow Sinayi, the pioneer Iranian filmmaker said: “I trust the organizers of Fajr International Film Festival and if they have decided to separate national and international sections of FIFF, it means they have done research and I believed that Fajr festival really deserve the international label.”
According to the Public Relations of the 33rd Fajr International Film Festival he added, “I am not aware of these researches and the festival affairs; however we have seen in many countries that national and international sections of festivals are being held separately. If they organize the festival correctly, it will be a positive thing and we will witness its progress in the coming years.”
Director of “The Bride of Fire” said: “Iranian Cinema has its own mechanism. Many movies which are probable to be successful in non-Iranian festivals may never even enter the festival. So if the festival is held properly, the separation of the two sections will be in benefit of the FIFF.”
He called selecting well-known movies as one of the main characteristics of a successful festival and noted: “The qualified movies must be selected for the festival. Many acclaimed movies cannot be screened in the festival and it is not a positive thing. Undoubtedly, the organizers have thought about these issues and these limitations won’t lead to the quality loss of the festival.”
He believed that participation of famous managers, choosing authentic jury board and inviting great artists are the other signs of a reputable festival and stated: “In important film festivals like Berlin and Cannes, a simple observation that is not limited only to quality of movies, shows that the movies are selected based on their beliefs and assessment. Such things can hurt the credibility of any festivals in Iran or abroad.”
He believes if the selection and assessment of the movies and jury members are done according to certain standards, FIFF will find its place in the region.”
Director of “The Colorful Island” stated: “Concentration on a particular cinema is not a professional thing; it is possible to make good movies in any parts of the world. So since the festival is international, it is not advisable to limit it to a few countries.”
33rd Fajr International Film Festival will be held from April 25th to May 2nd 2015 in Tehran. This is the first year that international section of FIFF to be held separately from national section.