Rahbar Ghanbari, a writer and film director, in an interview about the numerous film festivals held in Iran, emphasized that the purpose and interpretation of these events should be clear. He criticized the existing approaches to organizing festivals and said: “Holding a festival should not merely be an administrative duty for cinema officials.”
The Necessity of Expressing People's Pain and Joy
Ghanbari further clarified that history has shown that merely praising artistic works is not enough, and the pain and suffering of the people must also be addressed. He referred to a comparison of poets from the Ghaznavid era and said: “Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni valued the works of Anwar al-Maali, while history valued the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi.” This director added: “Today, those who try to praise and commend are opposed to artists who narrate the pain of the people.”
A Bureaucratic View of Festivals
Ghanbari also pointed out one of the fundamental problems of Iranian cinema, stating that officials view the organization of each festival merely as an administrative duty. He continued: “These events do not care about their purpose and outcome; they are only looking to hold an event.” Criticizing this approach, the director called for a change in officials' perspectives on festivals and said: “If this view continues, it is better not to hold these events.”
He also emphasized that cinema should narrate the moments of joy and sorrow of the people, and managers should not only value films that align with their ideological preferences. Ghanbari said: “Cinema should be a collection of excitement, spirit, joy, and the sorrows of our time, and filmmakers can express the enthusiasm and joy of the people amidst the bitterness of the era.”
This director concluded by stating that the management of Iranian cinema should allow for a variety of productions to exist and that these films should be showcased and seen in festivals like Fajr. He believes that if cinema retains this characteristic, officials must perform well and pay attention to the quality and value of art.
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