IRANIAN

CINEMA G U I D E

2007-2008
Chief Editor: Shadmehr Rastin
Deputy Editor: Nassim Nadjafi

Writers:
Houshang Golmakani, Robert Safarian, Alireza Mahmoudi,
Nassim Nadjafi, Amir Bahari, Mohammad Bayat, Farzan Ghaem-Maghami.

Head Translator: Robert safarian

Translator: Hassan Jamshidian

Art Director: Ali Samiee

Photo: Archive of Film International

Print: Ahoo Co.

Publisher: House of Cinema
Publishing Date: May 2008, Tehran, Iran
In
the name of

GOD
bountiful
the
&the merciful
 Leader of the Islamic Revolution
on the
Importance of Cinema

O
n the 14th of June 2006, 130 filmmakers, executives and poli-
cymakers of Iranian film industry met with the leader of the
Islamic Revolution of Iran Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. He
listened to the filmmakers who talked about the problems of Iranian cin-
ema and in the end, expressed his views on the importance of Iranian
films.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution attended this intimate meeting as
he himself put it "just as a listener". The meeting which was planned for
one and a half hours lasted more than three hours in a very intimate and
warm atmosphere.
Well-known film directors such as Majid Majidi, Kianoosh Ayyari,
Masoud Jafari Jozani, Rasul Sadr Ameli, Tahmineh Milani and Fere-
idoon Jeirani took part in the meeting and discussed the urgent problems
facing Iranian cinema.
After listening carefully to the filmmakers, the Leader talked about the
problems elaborated in their speeches. He considered the growth of Ira-
nian cinema a necessity and stressed that the key to the success of the
country in the international cultural scenes is in the hands of Iranian film-
makers.
Such a warm and friendly meeting between the Leader of the Islamic
Revolution and the people of Iranian film industry was unprecedented in
the history of Iranian cinema.

44
In the name of God, the creator of beauties

T
hree decades have passed since Iranian cinema achieved inter-
national recognition, but few people know that it has a hundred-
year-old history and more than 60 feature films are produced in
this country every year.
In international festivals, Iranian cinema is known by a few well-known
film directors as its representatives, but film scholars, film critics, filmmak-
ers and students of cinema have always been in need of first hand sources
to help them to know better the humanistic cinema of our country.
To meet this need, The House of Cinema, The association of Iranian
motion picture guilds, decided to publish a guide book containing a con-
cise history of the development of cinema in Iran, introduction of some
of the forerunners of Iranian film, its specific genres and trends, and brief
information on important policy-making institutions, production compa-
nies, universities, and film publications, with the aim of helping foreign-
ers interested in this cinema to get a better understanding of its roots.
In the fourth chapter of the booklet you will find a short outline of the history,
aims and structure of the House of Cinema (Khaneyeh Cinema- go to chapture
4), the main association Iranian guilds in the field of film industry, including in-
troduction of the member guilds and their boards in recent years (2006-2008).
Also a special genre of Iranian cinema “Sacred Defense Films” that has
many valuable samples in three last decades in Iran is represented to the
world by this book. I hope this booklet can present a general and com-
prehensive image of the structure of Iranian cinema, significant Iranian
filmmakers, old and new, and the typical films in various genres, and
thus serve as a good introduction for a more detailed and comprehensive
study of a cinema that wishes to be the harbinger of peace, friendship and
spirituality for the people of the whole world.

Reza Mirkarimi Iranian

Managing Director cinema
and Head of the Board of the House of Cinema of Iran 5
 Index:
1
Chapter :
A Short History of Iranian Cinema/7
2
Chapter :
Genres in Iranian Cinema/23
3
Chapter :
Cinematic Organizations and Institutions/37
4
Chapter :
House of Cinema/49
5
Chapter :
Film Schools & Training Centers/55
6
Chapter :
Iranian Film Festivals/58
7
Chapter :
Some Significant Events
of Iranian Cinema in Last years/63
8
Chapter :
Film Production & Distribution Companies/77
9
Chapter :
Studios and Cinematic Offices/99
10
6
Chapter :
Film Periodicals / Press
& Cinematic Websites /109
 A Short
History of
C H A P T E R
Iranian
Cinema

Iranian
cinema
7
 CHAPTER
A Short
History of
Iranian
Cinema
Early Years
1900-1930
T
he kings of Qajar dynasty
were extremely fond of
visiting Europe. During
one of his visits to Europe, Muzaf-
fareddin Shah, the fifth king of the
dynasty, got acquainted with cin-
ema and was fascinated by the new
phenomenon of the time.
Equipment of filmmaking was
purchased and a few weeks later
the first Iranian news film was shot
during a flower festival in Belgium
in August 1900. It was the first
time an Iranian made a film about
an event somehow related to Iran.
Many baskets of flowers were
scattered over the path of the king
and Mirza Ebrahim Khan Akkas-
bashi, the official cinematographer
8
of the court, shot the event with a
Gaumount camera.
Back to Iran, Shah showed
great enthusiasm towards cinema
and Mirza Ebrahim Khan started
shooting scenes from everyday
life of Shah and his household us-
ing the equipment brought from
Europe. He would show these
films among other news footage
purchased from France and Russia
in religious ceremonies and Royal
birthday parties.
Only small part of the footage
depicting real events in the court
shot in this era has survived and
is kept in the archives of Gulestan
Palace museum.
The first non-commercial mov-
ie-theatre of Iran called “Soheil”
was opened in 1900 in Tabriz by
Catholic missionaries. However,
the first commercial cinema of
the country was founded by Ebra-
him Khan Sahhafbashi in Lale-
zar Street in Tehran. In 1904, he
would show films bought from
Europe in his shop and later
opened a movie theater in Cher-
agh Bargh Street which worked
only for a short period. Religious
and politically motivated opposi-

tion caused it to close.
In 1930, the first Iranian feature-
length film called Abi and Rabi
was shot by Armenian-Iranian di-
rector Avanes Ohanian. No copy
of this silent black and white film
survived. It told the story of two
tall and short comedians and paved
the way for production of Oha-
nian’s second film Hadji Agha the
Movie Actor (Haji agha actor-e
sinama) in 1933. It is an important
silent movie with a quite compli-
cated narrative structure. The main
character of the film is a tradition-
ally-minded person who believes
cinema is a corrupt phenomenon.
However, when he appears in front
of the camera and views his own
image on the screen, his idea about
the cinema changes.
In 1933, The Lor Girl (Dokhtar-e
Lor), the first Iranian sound mov-
ie, was shown in Tehran. It was
directed by Abdulhossein Sepanta
who also acted in the leading role
of the film. It was intended for the
open-minded intellectuals as well
as for the ordinary people.
In 1930s, the number of movie
theatres of Tehran increased con-
siderably. News shorts of Para-
mount, Metro, Movieton, UFA and
Pathe were shown along the silent
and sound fiction films from Euro-
pean countries.
As these films were very popu-
lar, some Iranian students living in
Turkey started dubbing them into
Persian. Esmail Kushan was one
of them. He worked in Turkish film
production projects as a cinema-
CHAPTER
tographer. He later founded Pars
Film, the first Iranian film studio,
in Iran. In 1948, The Storm of Life
(Toofane Zendegi) produced and
directed by Kushan was screened. A Short
History of
Iranian
The Pioneers Cinema
Mirza Ebrahim Khan
Director, Cinematographer
The official cinematographer of
Qajar court. He was the first Ira-
nian using a camera and other film
equipment. He personally shot
scenes from everyday life of Royal
family in late nineteenth century.
Mirza Ebrahim Khan Sahhafbashi
Director, Cinematographer
A liberal businessman who found-
ed the first public movie theatre of
the country in Tehran. He has ex-
tensively written about cinema in
the diaries he kept during his trav-
els to Europe.
Avanes Ohanian
Writer, Director, Actor, Producer
An open-minded Armenian who
immigrated to Iran from Central
Asia. He founded the first film school
of the country with the aim of train-
ing film technicians and actors. He
directed first Iranian feature films.
● Filmography
● Director:
○ Hadji agha the cinema actor
(Haji agha actore cinema /1933)
○ Abi and Rabi (Abi va Rabi/1930)
● Writer: Iranian
○ Hadji agha the cinema actor cinema
(Haji agha actore cinema /1933) 9
 CHAPTER
○ Abi and Rabi (Abi va Rabi/1930)
● Actor:
○ Hadji agha the Cinema actor
(Haji agha actore Cinema /1933)
A Short ● Producer:
History of ○ Hadji agha the Cinema actor
Iranian (Haji agha actore Cinema /1933)
Cinema
Abdulhossein Sepanta
Writer, Director, Actor
Director of first Iranian sound
film, who also acted in his films,
wrote poetry and composed music.
● Filmography as director:
○ Leili and Majnun (Leyli-o Ma-
jnun /1937)
○ Black eyes (Cheshmha-ye siah
/1936)
○ Shirin and Farhad (Shirin-o
farhad /1934)
○ Lor Girl (Dokhtare Lor/1933)
Ebrahim Moradi
Writer, Director, Cinematogra-
pher, Actor,Producer
An innovator in film production
who played considerable role in
the development of Iranian fiction
cinema. He made two films none of
which were successful at the time
in spite of their relatively good
technical expertise. Destruction of
his films are partly responsible for
the fact of his relative obscurity.
● Filmography as Director:
○ The flawed jewel (Gowhare
lakedar/1959)
○ The Grafting of life (Peyvande
10
zendegi/1953)
○ The Back breaker (Kamarshekan/
1951)
○ The Sensual man (Bolhavas/
1933)
○ A brother’s revenge (Enteghame
baradar/1931)
Esmail Kushan
Writer, Director, Cinematogra-
pher, Producer
The first professional film pro-
ducer of Iran. He founded Pars
Film, the first Iranian film studio
and started dubbing films into Per-
sian in Iran. He is known as the
producer of first Iranian best-sell-
ers and the father of the commer-
cial film production in Iran.
● Filmographi as Director:
○ Asleep lion (Shir-e khofteh /1976)
○ The Little warriors (Jangjooy-
an-e koochooloo/1973)
○ Falling of idolater (Ghoroub-e
botparast /1968)
○ Abraham in Paris (Ebram dar
Paris /1964)
○ I love you (Doostat daram
/1963)
○ Tears and laughter (Ashkha va
khandeha /1963)
○ Beautiful devil (Ahrimane
ziba /1963)
○ Velvet hat (Kolah makhmali
/1962)
○ The shadow of fate (Saye-ye
sarnevesht /1962)
○ Dragon’s tooth (Dandane af ’ii
/1961)
○ Spirit’s vengeance (Enteghame
ruh/1960)
○ The Milkman (Shirforoush /1960)
○ Runaway bride (Arous-e far-
ari /1958)
○ The Thief of Love (Dozde eghq/
1952)
 CHAPTER

A Short
History of
Iranian
Cinema

● Leili and Majnun (Leyli-o Majnun/ Abdulhossein Sepanta/ 1937)

Iranian
● Hadji Agha,the cinema actor (Haji agha actore cinema / Avanes Ohanian/ cinema
1933) 11
 CHAPTER
○ The Enchanter (Afsungar /1952)
○ Mother (Madar /1951)
○ Masty-e eshq (1951)
○ Ashamed (Sharmsar /1950)
A Short ○ The Prisoner of the Emir
History of (Zendani-e Amir /1948)
Iranian
Cinema Farrokh Ghaffari
Writer, Director, Actor, Producer
French educated intellectual with
great love for the roots of Iranian
culture, who directed his first Ira-
nian social drama film Downtown
in 1958. He is among the first
people showing interest in writing
a history of Iranian films and the
founder of “Kanoone Filme Iran”
(Iranian cinemateque), where the
best of contemporary world cin-
ema and film history were shown.
Many of the filmmakers of the
next generation were members of
“Kanoone Filme Iran”.
● Filmographi as director:
○ The Falconet (Zanburak /1975)
○ Night of the hunchback (Shabe
ghuzi /1965)
○ Which is the bride? (Arus ko-
doome? /1959)
○ South of the City (Jonube shahr/
1958)
12
Formation
1949-1950
In 1940s, two groups of people
played crucial role in the devel-
opment of Iranian cinema: Film
technicians, mostly Christians of
Armenian origin, who prepared
the ground for later technical
growth of Iranian films and the
popular entertainment artists who
provided Iranian movies with
script-writers, directors and ac-
tors. These were the sources of
skilled manpower of Iranian cin-
ema for two decades.
Meanwhile, film companies,
mainly established in Tehran,
helped to the increase of Iranian
film audience, through importa-
tion and exhibition of Turkish,
Egyptian and European movies.
However, with the increasing
number of foreign films dubbed
into Persian, the audience for Ira-
nian movies declined. The new
urban middle class, a product of
growing state beurocracy in the
main cities, welcomed cinema as
a form of entertainment and this
caused an interest on the part of
film producers to improve the
quality of their products.
Singers and dancers were the
first Iranian movie stars. With
availability of cinema as a rela-
tively inexpensive medium, now
ordinary middle class people had
the chance to enjoy their songs
and images without having to pay
large amounts of money to visit
 CHAPTER

A Short
History of
Iranian
Cinema

● The Swallows Return to Their Nest (Parastoha be lane baz migardand

/Majid Mohseni/1963)

Iranian
● On the set of South of the city (Jonube shahr /Farrokh Ghaffari/1958) cinema
13
 CHAPTER
expensive casinos and night clubs
of wealthy urban upper classes.
Mahvash and Delkesh, first Ira-
nian female stars, were famous as
A Short dancer and singer, prior to acting
History of in the movies.
Iranian Nasser Malekmotii acquired great
Cinema popularity in the same period and
became the first male star of Ira-
nian cinema.
Last Decades
before the Victory
of Islamic
Revolution
1960-1978
During this period, Iranian cine-
ma was divided into two branches.
In the first place, there were the
popular movies with protagonists
who were mostly copies of the he-
roes of Indian and American mov-
ies highly in demand. These were
dominated by stars and tightly
controlled by producers. The di-
rector, like almost everyone else
in the crew, was selected to act ac-
cording to the will of the producer
to serve the financial goals of the
studio. These films were charac-
terized by their poor visual quality
and simplistic narrative structure.
14
During the last years of Pahlavi
era, the production of popular
Iranian movies witnessed a sharp
decline mainly due to the unre-
stricted import of foreign films.
Many film-production companies
changed to distributors. In Teh-
ran and throughout the country,
the number of the film theatres
increased. However, the public
preferred the technically polished
foreign movies to the low quality
Iranian ones.
The other section of Iranian
cinema, later dubbed as “New
Wave”, was protected by the
Ministry of Culture and Arts and
the state Radio and Television
Organization. Some interesting
cinematic works found the op-
portunity to be made here. In-
novative film directors appeared
in the scene, who succeeded to
attract the public to the serious
fiction films. Centre for Intellec-
tual Education and Development
of Children and Young Adults
and Tehran International Film
Festival were among the institu-
tions that played crucial part in
emergence of a new intellectual
Iranian film culture.
Iranian cinema
after Islamic
Revolution
1978-2006
Since the victory of Islamic Revo-
lution in Iran, film production in
Iran has witnessed many ups and
downs. The development of the

Iranian cinema after the Revolu-
tion can be best understood when
considered in following distinct
phases.
The First Period
(1978-1984)
The negative attitude of large
sections of urban population of
the country towards cinema, mani-
fested in numerous attacks at film
theatres during the revolutionary
demonstration in the streets of
Tehran and other cities, was a good
cause for many people to think that
Iranian cinema would vanish after
the victory of the Islamic Revolu-
tion. However, the founder and
great leader of the Islamic Revo-
lution Imam Khomeini (Peace be
upon him) declared in an illumi-
nating speech that cinema is the
height of civilization and stressed
the necessity of creation of a na-
tional cinema worthy Iranian cul-
tural identity.
However, in absence of well
defined regulations and practical
guidelines, the management of
Iranian cinema was thrown into
disorder. Practically film produc-
tion came to a halt and the screen-
ing of pre-revolutionary films was
prohibited. The armed militia that
ruled in the streets interfered in
the management of film theaters
and made it almost impossible to
draw and affect any kind of policy
for film production and exhibition.
Film exhibition was particularly
in chaos. The screening of certain
CHAPTER
films banned before Revolution
and distribution of Mos-Film pro-
ductions provided by Soviet Union
free of charge in the unofficial
video distribution network, only A Short
added to the all-pervasive chaos. History of
The break of war with Iraq be- Iranian
came another cause for driving Cinema
cinema to the background com-
pared to the urgent problems on the
agenda of the new government.
Phase Two
(1984-1997)
Creation of Farabi Cinema Foun-
dation was a crucial step taken by
the government to put an end to
the chaos of film production and
distribution: Importation of for-
eign films was prohibited, copies
of films produced before Revo-
lution, were collected from film
distribution offices and video was
declared illegal.
The production of new type of films
appropriate for the new atmosphere
was on agenda. Young revolutionary
filmmakers were supported to pro-
duce films with content correspond-
ing to the Islamic cultural criteria. A
great number of people working in
film industry before revolution, both
technicians and artists, had left the
country, so government took all the
responsibilities -- from production
to exhibition -- on its own shoulders.
The outcome of these policies was
emergence of a new generation of
film-directors on the one hand and Iranian
growth of a film production system cinema
totally dependent on state funding on 15
 CHAPTER
the other. The number of the foreign
films screened in cinemas dwindled
considerably. Starting Fajr Interna-
tional Film Festival where films ap-
A Short proved by the new government were
History of supported was an important event in
Iranian the direction of formation of a new
Cinema Iranian cinema.
With supporting neglected genres
like films for children and teen-ag-
ers, the policy-makers intended to
bring about variety to Iranian films
and guarantee the emergence of a
flourishing film production atmo-
sphere. The continuation of Isfahan
International Festival of Films for
Children and Young adults spoke
of the importance attached to the
cinema for children in this period.
Government supported activity
of the private sector in the field
of film production; however, the
“screening permission” remained
a powerful means in its hands to
control the production in its de-
sired direction. Removal of video
ban helped to create a more open
atmosphere in these years. The
public demanded genre movies
such as action films and comedies.
A prosperous film production took
shape that was partly due to the ef-
forts of the private sector.
Meanwhile, expertise and inno-
vative urges of two generations of
Iranian filmmakers helped to the
emergence of a serious spiritual Ira-
nian cinema which attracted the at-
16
tention of International film festivals
as well as Iranian film critics. The
innovative young directors were in
the focus of public attention more
than movie-stars. Establishment of
(Khaneyeh Cinema) House of Cin-
ema as a kind of association of pro-
fessional guilds of various cinematic
trades was another important event
affecting the formation of a new
film production system. House of
Cinema plays considerable role in
macro decision making processes of
the Iranian film industry.
The Third Phase
(1997-2006)
The presidential elections of
1997 and coming into office of a
reformist-minded government was
the beginning of a new era for Ira-
nian cinema as well. Because of
the new cultural policies, more
importance was attached to the
private film companies.
Young male and female movie
stars came to the foreground, films
sold better and some of them very
cautiously broke the so called
“Red lines” of the issues permitted
to be discussed in films. With the
relative prosperity of movie-going,
the necessity of building new film
theatres was on the agenda again.
Though none of the film theatres
closed after the revolution were re-
stored, some of those still working
were rebuilt and renovated. In the
towns with no film theatres new
cinemas were built.
International success of Iranian
films brought about a new genera-
tion of talented filmmakers. The
young filmmakers launched on
making short and documentary
 CHAPTER

A Short
History of
Iranian
Cinema

● The Runner (Davandeh/Amir Naderi/1985)

Iranian
cinema
● Hamoun (Hamoun/Dariush Mehrjui/1990)
17
 CHAPTER
films using digital equipment. As
a result, now a number of short
and documentary film festivals are
held annually on national and lo-
A Short cal scales.
History of The increase in cinema atten-
Iranian dance and relative improvement
Cinema of box-office returns was the result
of the diversity of subjects of the
films and the exclusion of foreign
films from competition.
Today, the young, dynamic mov-
ie-going audience of the country is
seeking films true to its native cul-
tural values that at the same time
leave behind the amateurism of
short film production and conform
to the standards of professional
filmmaking.
Iranian Films at
International Film
Festivals
The first Iranian film exhibited in
an International film festival was
The Night-Party in the Hell (Shab-
neshini dar jahannam/Moushegh
Sorouri and Samuel Khachikian/
1956) screened at the 8th Berlin
Film Festival. In those days, the
film festivals did not have a selec-
tion committee and films were sent
to them not by the producer but by
the state, in the framework of in-
tergovernmental cultural relations.
However, personal efforts of
Mustafa Farzaneh and Ebrahim
18
Golestan helped Iranian films at-
tend international film festivals.
The first instance of an Iranian film
awarded in an international event
was the case of the short docu-
mentary A Fire (Yek atash/1961)
by Ebrahim Golestan winning a
bronze medal in 1961.
The establishment of cinema
department of Center for Intel-
lectual Development of Children
and Young Adults and the begin-
ning of Iranian New Wave in late
1960s was a breakthrough for Ira-
nian films in terms of international
recognition. For example, in the
years prior to the Islamic Revolu-
tion, The Cow (Gaav/1969), Mr.
Simpleton (Aghaye Hallou/1970),
The Postman (Postchi/1970) and
The Cycle (Dayereh mina/1978)
by Dariush Mehrjui attended in in-
ternational events forty times and
won nine awards.
Sohrab Shahid-Sales with films
such as A Simple event (Yek etefa-
ghe sadeh/1973), Still life (Tabiate
bijan/1974) and Far From home
(Dar ghorbat/1975) was also well
presented in international film
events.
Prominent Iranian film-direc-
tors such as Parviz kimiavi, Ab-
bas Kiarostami, Amir Naderi,
Bahram Beizai, Nasser Taghvai
and Masoud Kimiai were also in-
ternationally successful. Iranian
animators like Ali-Akbar Sadeghi,
Noureddin Zarrinkelk, Farshid
Mesghali and Nafiseh Riahi made
names for themselves as interna-
tionally known animation film-
makers.
In the first years after the victory
of the Islamic Revolution, film
production and presence of Iranian
 CHAPTER

A Short
History of
Iranian
Cinema

● Still life (Tabiate bijan / Sohrab Shahid-Sales /1974 )

Iranian
cinema
● The Cow (Gaav/ Dariush Mehrjui /1969)
19
 CHAPTER
films in international film festi-
vals declined. However, this was
temporary, and in 1985, The Run-
ner (Davandeh/Amir Naderi/1985)
A Short was hailed in many world film
History of festivals and a new era of victori-
Iranian ous international presence opened
Cinema for Iranian films. In addition to
the artistic merits of the film, the
international activities of Farabi
Cinema Foundation played an im-
portant role in the success of The
Runner. The success of The Run-
ner continued and in 1988-1990
the Iranian cinema witnessed new
levels of demand for Iranian films
to be included in the programs of
film festivals. Since then, in spite
of changes in the management of
Farabi Cinema Foundation, world
20
acclaim of Iranian cinema has
not decreased. Films produced by
Iran Young Cinema Society have
opened their way to the interna-
tional scene while some feature-
length Iranian movies have been
bought and distributed by interna-
tional companies.
Among the prizes won by Ira-
nian films, the Golden Palm (Palm
d’Ore) of Cannes International
Film Festival awarded to The
Taste of cherry (Ta’me guillas/Ab-
bas Kiarostami/1997) is the most
prominent. Majid Majidi’s The
Children of heaven (Bacheha-ye
aseman/1997) was the first Iranian
film nominated for the academy
award in the category of best for-
eign language film.
 CHAPTER

A Short
History of
Iranian
Cinema

● The Taste of cherry (Ta’me guillas/Abbas Kiarostami/1997)

Iranian
● The Children of heaven (Bacheha-ye aseman/Majid Majidi /1997 )
cinema
21
 CHAPTER

A Short
History of
Iranian
Cinema

22
Genres
in

C H A P T E R
Iranian
Cinema
 CHAPTER
Genresin
Iranian
Cinema
Social Drama
L
ike everywhere else, in Iran
too, the big share of film
production goes to fiction
films. They are made in a variety
of genres such as historical epics,
social drama and comedy. Contra-
diction between traditional moral
values dominating personal and
family life of Iranians with the new
values coming to the fore with the
development of a modern society
in Iran is a theme treated in many
Iranian movies.
Themes such as social class
contradictions (Qaroon Treasure/
Ganje Qarun/Syamak Yasami/
1965), emigration from villages to
the urban areas (Passenger from
Heaven/Mosaferi az behesht/ Nos-
ratollah Vahdat/1963) and living
conditions of Iranian women (The
Companion/Hamsafar/Masoud
24
Assadollahi/1975) were treated in
popular films made before the vic-
tory of Islamic Revolution. Other
issues such as the housing problem
(Off Limits/Kharej az mahdudeh/
by Rakhshan Bani-Etemad/1986),
the problems of the disabled people
(The Relationship/Rabeteh/ Pouran
Derakhshandeh/1988) , challenges
of a writer- house keeper woman
(Blank paper/ Kaghaze bikhat/
Naser Taghvai/2001) and To be or
not to be ( Boodan ya naboodan/
Kianoush Ayari/ 1998) are dis-
cussed in the films made after the
Revolution.
In the popular social dramas
made before the Revolution, peo-
ple with no social class such as
singers, dancers and prostitutes
were among the main characters.
After the Victory of Islamic Revo-
lution, more attention was paid to
neglected problems of interest to
the urban middle class. The devel-
opment of urban life, the chang-
ing demographic composition of
the population, rise in the level of
education and social awareness of
the ordinary people brought about
dramatic changes in the themes
of the Iranian films. Box-office
 CHAPTER

Genres
in
Iranian
Cinema

● Qaroon treasure (Ganj Qaroon/Syamak Yasami/1965)

Iranian
● Mother (madar /Ali Hatami/1990)
cinema
25
 CHAPTER
success of films such as The Ten-
ants (Ejareh-nesheenha/Dariush
Mehrjui/1986), an intellectual
comedy with housing problems in
Genres its centre; Red (Ghermez/Fereidoon
in Jeirani/1998), a melodrama-thriller;
Iranian and Ceasefire (Atash bas/Tahmineh
Cinema
Milani/2006), a romantic comedy,
all treating rather old themes with
better technique and more interest-
ing cinematic polish while keeping in
touch with the contemporary Iranian
culture, demonstrate the popularity of
social dramas when they address the
urgent problems of general audience.
Documentary
Films
Documentaries have been part
of Iranian cinema from the begin-
ning. Iranian documentary films
fall into three main categories:
The first group films are focused
on the characteristics of Iran as a
country with roots in an ancient
civilization. Films made by Ma-
nouchehr Tayyab on Iranian archi-
tectural monuments belong to this
category.
The second group films depict
contemporary Iran with the aim of
demonstrating its industrial devel-
opment. Documentary films made
by Ebrahim Golestan about the
oil industry of the country are the
most significant examples of this
26
category.
The third category is the docu-
mentary cinema concerned with
social issues. Films of Kamran
Shirdel are best known among the
documentaries discussing social
problems.
The Revolution and the eight-
year-long war with Iraq following
it brought with them a new kind
of documentary. Films such as The
Search (Jostoju/Amir Naderi/1980)
about the missing people of the days
of Revolution and the TV series
The Narrative of victory(Ravayat-
e Fath/1983)produced and direct-
ed by Seyyed Morteza Avini are
among the best documentaries de-
picting the events of the revolution
and war.
After the end of the war, expe-
rienced documentary filmmakers
such as Mohammad-Reza Mogha-
dassian, Ebrahim Mokhtari and
Farshad Fada’ian created beauti-
ful works. However, it was the
emergence of digital video that
made filmmaking apparatus acces-
sible to everybody that brought a
new breakthrough to the Iranian
documentary cinema. Young film-
makers took the camera to the
streets and shot images of the life
of urban underprivileged like the
homeless people or the addicted.
More experienced documentary
filmmakers such as Mohsen Ab-
dolvahab and Pirouz Kalantary
also made use of the capabilities of
digital video. Maziar Bahari who
is now working for Canadian TV
channels made some of his films
almost single-handedly doing the
videography, sound-recording and
editing all by himself.
Some of the well-known Iranian
 CHAPTER

Genres
in
Iranian
Cinema

● Blank paper (Kaghaze bikhat/ Naser Taghvai/2001)

Iranian
● To be or nat to be (Boodan ya naboodan/Kianoush Ayari/1998)
cinema
27
 CHAPTER
directors like Abbas Kiarostami
and Rakhshan Bani-Etemad have
been always interested in docu-
mentary filmmaking as well and
Genresin have themselves created good ones.
Iranian
Cinema
Films for
Children and
Young Adults
The production of suitable films
for children and teen-agers has
always been a concern of the
Iranian filmmakers and cultural
policy-makers. The establishment
of the Center for Intellectual De-
velopment of Children and Young
Adults known as “Kanoon” in late
1960s lay the ground for system-
atic support for production of films
for children. The Centre attracted
young talented filmmakers who
made several short and animation
films for it. Later, it organized a
festival for films for children and
the young adults. This was an im-
portant step to encourage produc-
tion of films for children.
Abbas Kiarostami, Bahram Beizai,
Nasser Taghvai, and Amir Naderi are
among the distinguished filmmakers
who made films for “Kanoon”.
In the post-revolutionary era,
box-office success of films like The
City of the mice (Shahr-e mooshha/
Marzieh Boroumand and Moham-
28
mad-Ali Talebi/1985) and The
Dolls’ thief (Dozd e aroosakha/Mo-
hammad-Reza Honarmand/1990)
are proof of the existence of great
demand for Iranian films for chil-
dren if they meet the special needs
of their audience. However, there
are examples of Iranian films for
children such as The Jar (Khom-
reh/Ebrahim Forouzesh/1992) and
Where is friend’s home? (Khane-ye
doust kojast?/Abbas Kiarostami/
1987) that tell their stories in a
more subtle and artistic manner
and though not doing well in the
box-office, are part of the Iranian
film culture.
Continuation of the Isfahan In-
ternational Film Festival of Films
for Children and Young Adults
speaks of the important attached to
the cinema for children by the au-
thorities in the Ministry of Culture
and Islamic Guidance.
Kolahghermezi and pesarkhaleh
(The Boy wearing a red hat and
his cousin, Iraj Tahmaseb/1994),
with a TV puppet show character
has been the best-selling Iranian
movie made for children.
The Sacred
Defense Films
The eight-year-long Iran-Iraq war
(1980-1988) had a thorough effect
on Iranian society as a whole and
on the Iranian cinema as well. A
new genre of Iranian war films
emerged and was officially labeled
as “Sacred Defense Cinema”.
Films made under this category
are mainly work of film directors
who have themselves experienced
the war in reality and come to re-
 CHAPTER

Genres
in
Iranian
Cinema

● Where is friend’s home? (Khane-ye doust kojast?/Abbas Kiarostami/1987)

Iranian
cinema
● Bashu,the little stranger (Bashu,gharibeye koochak/Bahram Beizai/1989)
29
 CHAPTER
alize the fundamental differences
between Iran-Iraq confrontation
and other wars. While seeing the
war in itself an evil, they concen-
Genres trate on the humanistic and moral
in issues among Islamic fighters com-
Iranian ing to the fore in the conditions of
Cinema
fighting.
The films of “Sacred Defense Cine-
ma” can be divided into two groups:
The films produced during the
eight years of the war. These have
an epic and heroic tone and their
main objective is to boost the
morale of the fighters in the war-
fronts. The Nocturnal flight (Par-
vaz dar shab/Rasool Mollagholi
poor/1987) is a good instance of
this type.
However, after the end of the war,
Iranian war films increasingly paid
more attention to the consequences
of the prolonged war. The contrast
between the high morality and spirit
prevalent in the warfronts among
the Islamic combatants and the dire
social issues and rise of material-
istic values in the cities provided a
basis for a variety of stories told by
these films. Ebrahim Hatami-Kia
is the most notable director of this
kind of films. In films such as From
Karkheh to Rhine (Az Kharkheh ta
Rhine/1993), Glass Agency (Ajans-e
shisheh-i /1997)and In the Name of
Father (Be nam e pedar/2006), he
proved himself capable of combin-
ing popular story-telling conven-
30
tions and well-established rules of
cinematic genres such as melodrama
and thriller with the true contempo-
rary problems of the Iranian society.
Investment of rather big sums of
money and the use of sophisticated
equipment in making of war films,
has improved the technical stan-
dard of Iranian cinema. In Duel
(Ahmad-Reza Darvish/2004) there
are extremely well-made scenes of
shelling and fighting that can rival
with similar scenes of western war
movies.
New wave
In late 1960s, when Iranian cin-
ema was under the dominance of
simple-minded melodramas and
cheap comedies, a group of young
filmmakers appeared on the scene
who thought the prevalent trend
incapable of treating serious and
deep-rooted problems the Iranian
society faced.
Masoud Kimiai, Dariush Mehrjui,
Nasser Taghvai, Fereidoon Goleh,
Ali Hatami and Amir Naderi were
among the directors whose films
focused on highly charged social
issues. They cast actors and ac-
tresses with a background in stage
acting in their films. Their work
testifies to their good knowledge
of language of cinema and story-
telling. Some of the “New Wave”
films are based on the works of
contemporary Iranian writers such
as Gholamhussein Saedi, Sadegh
Choubak and Mahmoud Dolata-
badi. They were mostly protest-
ing against the fake superficial
modernism officially propagated
by Shah’s regime. Most of these
films have a nostalgic look at the
 CHAPTER

Genres
in
Iranian
Cinema

● Glass agency (Ajans-e shisheh-i /1997)

Iranian
● The Nocturnal flight (Parvaz dar shab/Rasool Mollagholipoor/1987)
cinema
31
 CHAPTER
annihilation of traditional way of
life and moral values or are eulo-
gies of individual heroic action.
With a rather good success in the
Genres box-office, they succeeded in their
in rivalry with established commer-
Iranian cial cinema.
Cinema
Qaysar (Gheisar /Masoud Kimiai
/1969) and Deers (Gavaznha/Masoud
Kimiai/1976), The Cow(Gaav/ Dar-
iush Mehrjui /1969) and The Cycle
(Dayereh mina /Dariush Mehrjui
/1978), Tranquility in the presence
of others (Aramesh dar hozure deeg-
aran/Nasser Taghvai/1973) and Sa-
degh the kurd(Sadegh korde/ Nasser
Taghvai/1972), Dagger (Deshneh/
Fereydun Goleh/1972) and Honey
Comb (Kandu/Fereydun Goleh/
1975), Toughi (Ali Hatami/1971) and
Sooteh-Delan (Ali Hatami/1978),
Strait (Tangna/Amir Naderi/1973)
and Tight spot (Tangsir /Amir
Naderi/1974) are some of the sig-
nificant films of this era.
Iranian Art
Cinema
In Iran, the concept of Art cin-
ema, i.e. films that experiment
with narrative structure and formal
language of cinema, has been as-
sociated to the names of two dis-
tinguished filmmakers Fereydun
Rahnama and Ebrahim Golestan.
They knew European art film cul-
32
ture very closely and made fea-
ture-length films such as Siyavosh
at Perspolice (Siavash dar takht-e
jamshid/Fereydun Rahnema/1967)
and Brick and mirror (Khesht va
ayeneh/ Ebrahim Golestan/1965)
with evident experimental slant.
Ministry of Culture and Arts and
National Television Organization
supported production of art films.
Bahram Beizai with The Stranger
and fog (Gharibeh va meh/1974),
Ballad of Tara (Tcherike-ye Tara/
1979), and Crow (Kalagh/1976);
Sohrab Shahid-Saless with A Simple
event (Yek etefagh-e sadeh/1973)
and Still life (Tabiate bijan/1974);
and Bahman Farmanara with films
such as Prince Ehtejab (Shazdeh
ehtejab/1974) and Tall shadows of
the wind (Sayehaye bolande baad/
1979) contributed to the trend.
Fresh filmmakers like Abbas
Kiarostami and Mohammad-Reza
Aslani, too, entered the field to
give more variety to the art films.
After the victory of the Islamic
Revolution the conditions were ripe
for the artistic tradition in Iranian cin-
ema to bear fruit. Most of the interna-
tionally famous Iranian filmmakers
are in one way or another affected by
the works of forerunners of art film
trend in the Iranian cinema.
Short Films &
Experimental
Cinema
For the young people aspiring
to become film directors, making
short films has always been one
of the best ways to open their way
into professional film production.
 CHAPTER

Genres
in
Iranian
Cinema

● Brick and mirror (Khesht va ayeneh/ Ebrahim Golestan/1965

Iranian
● Qaysar (Gheisar /Masoud Kimiai/1969)
cinema
33
 CHAPTER
The same is true for Iran. Talented
young filmmakers abound and they
help to create a film culture full of
fresh ideas and experimental inno-
Genres vation. Before the so called digital
in revolution in recent years, Iranian
Iranian amateur filmmakers used 8mm
Cinema
and Super8 formats to create their
films. These were later exhibited in
campus film clubs. Many of he film-
makers of this amateur filmmaking
movement of the last years prior to
the victory of the Islamic Revolu-
tion known as “Cinemayeh Azad”
(free cinema) became professional
filmmakers in post-revolutionary
period. Kianoush Ayari and Nasser
Gholamrezai are two of them.
After the victory of the Islamic
Revolution, Iranian Young Cinema
Society became the most important
34
centre for amateur filmmakers. The
establishment of the Documentary
and Experimental Film Centre was
another step to boost none-profes-
sional filmmaking.
With the widespread use of in-
expensive digital video cameras,
short and experimental filmmaking
witnessed a real revolution. Thou-
sands of short films are made and
exhibited in the film festivals both
inside the country and abroad. The
boom of film festivals has helped
the short filmmakers to exhibit
their films to a greater number of
audiences.
Ali-Mohammad Ghassemi, Shah-
ram Mokri and Bayram Fazli are
only some of the young talented
artists who have made a name as
experimental filmmakers.
 CHAPTER

Genres
in
Iranian
Cinema

● Once upon a time,cinema (Nasereddin shah,actor-e cinema/Mohsen Makhmalbaf/1992)

Iranian
● Smell of camphor, fragrance of jasmine ( Booye kafour atre yas/ Bahman
cinema
Farmanara/2000)
35
 CHAPTER

Genresin
Iranian
Cinema

36
 Cinematic
Organization
C H A P T E R
&
Institutions
 CHAPTER
Cinematic
Organizations
&
Institutions
Deputy Minister of
Culture and Islamic
Guidance for Cinema
Affairs
Historically, state supervision
over film production and exhi-
bition activities started with the
regulation of management of film
theatres by municipalities that
continues to this day. Customs of-
fice would control and regulate the
importation of films and quality
control of the films was done by
a special committee called Com-
mission for Exhibition set up in
the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Until mid 1960s, Ministry of In-
ternal Affairs was responsible for
issuing screening permission for
both foreign and Iranian films. It
also approved the film scripts but
had no role in policy making and
played no part in leading or sup-
38
porting film production. Actually
there was no such thing as poli-
cymaking and all government did
was to approve or reject the films
presented to it for getting screen-
ing permission.
Later, some of the tasks of regu-
lation of cinema were trusted to
the Office of Cinematic Affairs
set up as part of the newly estab-
lished Ministry of Culture and Art.
However, the Ministry of Internal
Affairs remained responsible for
supervision of the films screened
for public.
It was only after the victory of
Islamic Revolution that compre-
hensive policy making for all areas
of film production and exhibition
was concentrated in a department
of Ministry of Culture and Islamic
Guidance headed by a deputy minis-
ter. In the organizational chart of the
department are included the follow-
ing subdivisions and institutions:
● The Office of Evaluation and
Supervision with the task of over-
seeing the correct implementation
of regulations and policies of the
Ministry of Culture and Islamic
Guidance in all stages of produc-
tion and exhibition of films.

● The Office of Audio-Visual Co-
operation and Home Screenings.
It regulates the production and
distribution of audio-visual prod-
ucts for home screening.
● The Office of Development of
Audio-Visual Technology. It
oversees technical affairs and
supports the organizations active
in the field of development of
technology.
● The Office of Planning and De-
velopment of Cinematic and Au-
dio-Visual Activities. Its task is
to conduct research projects and
production of statistical data that
should serve as the basis for the
planning and policymaking.
● The Department for Management
of Cinematic and Audio-Visual
Festivals. It is responsible for the
organization and management of
various International and internal
film festivals.
● National Film Archive. It is the
first department set up under the
Deputy of the Cinematic Affairs.
It conducts all activities neces-
sary for systematic archiving
and preservation of the cinematic
heritage of the country.
● Farabi Cinema Foundation.
Founded in 1984, it is supposed
to be an independent beneficial
organization and the main execu-
tive arm of the Ministry of Cul-
ture and Islamic Guidance in the
field of cinema.
● Iranian Young Cinema Society. It
was established in 1976 with the
aim of training the young people
keen to make films and helping
CHAPTER
them to acquire knowledge and
experience through working in
none-professional filmmaking,
thus providing human resources
for the professional cinema. Cinematic
Organizations
● Documentary and Experimental &
Film Centre. It was founded in Institutions
1994. Its objective is to support
film students and professional
filmmakers technically and fi-
nancially for realization of semi-
professional projects.
● The House of Cinema. It was
founded in 1993. It is the asso-
ciation of professional guilds of
all cinematic trades.
● Visual Media Institute. It was es-
tablished in 1992 for preparation
and distribution of home video.
● The Museum of Cinema. It was
founded in 2000.
● Cinema City Institute. Estab-
lished in 2004, its main task is to
reconstruct the old film theatres,
to equip cinemas with new fa-
cilities of film exhibition, and to
build film theatres in the remote
areas of the country.
National Film Archive
(Filmkhaneh)
National Film Archive of Iran has
57 years of experience in screen-
ing the best of the world cinema
and continues its weekly screening
sessions every Tuesday in Cinema
Sahara of Tehran.
It was established in 1949 by
Farrokh Ghaffari who knew Henry Iranian
Langlois and his cinemateque in cinema
Paris and was highly impressed 39
 CHAPTER
by his work. When back to Iran,
Ghaffari founded an Iranian ver-
sion of cinemateque called Na-
tional Film Centre which started
Cinematic its film screenings in 1951. When
Organizations
& Ghaffari went back to Paris, The
Institutions activities of the National Film
Centre stopped and did not restart
until he returned to Iran in 1957.
The main objectives of National
Film Archive were defined as fol-
lows:
● To help the growth of cinema as
an art form.
● To introduce the best of film his-
tory and classical cinema to the
public.
● To help to raise the general in-
terest of public in cultural activi-
ties.
● To prepare the ground for es-
tablishment of a film production
centre with the aim of introduc-
ing Iranian civilization to the
world.
National Film Centre continued
its activities until 1972 when Na-
tional Film Archive was set up by
the department of cinematic affairs
in the Ministry of Culture and Is-
lamic Guidance. This new body
took up all the tasks of the National
Film Centre and Jamal Omid was
appointed as its manager.
In 1989 the activities of the
National Film Archive entered a
new phase. The work of organiz-
ing the film archive started to be
40
done more systematically. Direct
link was established with the Film
Archives International Federation
(FAIF) and a report about the ac-
tivities of National Film Archive is
presented to it every year.
In addition to the weekly screen-
ings of National Film Archive, it
organizes additional programs on
special occasions.
Farabi Cinema Foundation
Farabi Cinema Foundation was
founded by the Ministry of Culture
and Islamic Guidance to help to
implement the cultural policies of
the Islamic Republic of Iran in the
field of cinema, to aid production
and exhibition of Iranian films,
and to help to enhance the quality
of the films. Among its aims is to
provide thematic patterns to the
filmmakers and also to provide and
supply foreign films for exhibition
in internal market. Its activities are
conducted by four departments:
1. Cultural Affairs
It is responsible for
● Approving film scripts with
special subjects such as ones for
children and young adults and
sacred defense.
● Conducting researches on cin-
ematic subjects, supporting uni-
versity theses with subjects re-
lated to cinema and organization
of seminars and meetings.
● Publication of periodicals
and books about cinema and
preparation and publication of
catalogues, bulletins, brochures
and posters.
● Creation of a database for Ira-
nian cinema to provide the film-

makers, researchers and students
with necessary information.
● Creation of Farabi Cinema
Foundation website (www.fcf.ir)
and keeping it up-to-date.
● Participation in organizing film
festivals such as Fajr Internation-
al Film Festival, International
Film Festival of Films for Chil-
dren and Young Adults, etc.
2. Supply and Distribution
This section of Farabi Cinema
Foundation is active in
● Preparation of foreign films for
exhibition, i.e. translation and
dubbing of these films and Giv-
ing technical support to the pri-
vate companies doing similar
job.
● Distribution of Iranian and for-
eign films and supporting Iranian
film industry with film stock and
equipment.
3. Production and Support
This department helps the film
production projects having offi-
cial permission by providing them
with film stock as well as equip-
ment such as filters, lamps, projec-
tors, screens, etc.
It is also the main source for rent-
ing cameras, accessories and edit-
ing facilities.
4. International Affairs
Farabi Cinema Foundation started
its international activities in 1984.
The Next year, with success of The
Runner (Amir Naderi) in inter-
national festivals, its efforts bore
CHAPTER
fruit. The International Affairs
department has done great job
in introducing Iranian cinema to
the world audience. Participation
of Iranian films in international Cinematic
Organizations
events grew considerably in 1988- &
1990. Presently, Iranian cinema is Institutions
greatly popular among compiles
of the world and enjoys a stable
presence on international scene.
The main areas of activity of the
International Affairs are:
● Organization of joint production
projects.
● Helping Iranian films, filmmak-
ers, and experts to participate in
international film festivals, film
markets, and cultural exhibi-
tions.
● Sale of rights of Iranian films in
foreign countries and marketing
Iranian films abroad.
● Purchasing foreign films.
● Organization of Tehran Film
Market.
● Publication of booklets, bro-
chures. posters and other pro-
motional material as well as Iran
Film Market Guide.
The management of the Farabi
Cinema Foundation has changed
several times since 1983. The
founder and the first general
manager of the Foundation was
Seyyed Mohammad Beheshti.
He was followed by Mohammad
Hussein Haghighi, Dr. Rajabi,
Mohammad Hassan Pezeshk, Ab-
dulmajid Mohebbi, and Moham-
mad Mahdi Asgarpour. Presently Iranian
Alireza Rezadad in charge of the cinema
Foundation. 41
 CHAPTER
Young Cinema Society
Launched in 1974 by the Min-
istry of Culture and Art of the
time, Young Cinema Society
Cinematic quickly expanded its activities
Organizations in Tehran and provinces alike.
& ● Encouraging cooperation between
Institutions However, it halted all its activi-
ties when the Islamic Revolu-
tion took over.
In 1980, two years after the
victory of the Islamic Revolu-
tion, the need of an organization
to teach the young people eager
to learn the art and technique of
filmmaking was strongly felt.
So, some offices of the Society
in Tehran and some other cities
restarted their activities under
the name of Iran Young Amateur
Filmmakers centers. However,
because of the insufficient fa-
cilities and inaccessibility to ca-
pable trainers, not all of the offices
revived. In 1983, it was officially re-
named to Iranian Young Cinema So-
ciety and declared the training of the
young generation of filmmakers to
be its primary objective. In the same
year, it set up branches in Tehran and
other major cities including Isfahan,
Shahr-e-Kord, Orumiyeh, Kerman-
shah, Tabriz, Zanjan, Semnan, Shi-
raz, Gorgan, Maragheh, Damghan,
Masjid Soleyman, Kerman, And
Hamedan. Later, it gradually opened
offices in all provinces.
The main objectives of the Young
Cinema Society are the following:
● Training of the young people as-
42
piring to become filmmakers.
● Production and publication of cul-
tural, artistic and educational
pamphlets, books and films.
● Organization of annual festivals.
● Setting up classes and seminars
for the trainers and officials of
the Society.
Iranian and foreign trainers and
filmmakers.
The Museum of Cinema
In September 1994, the board
of directors of the Museum of
Cinema, a small group of film
enthusiasts, started the work
of collection of documents,
photographs, old equipment of
filmmaking, etc in any way re-
lated to the history of the Iranian
films. In a short period of time, a
great amount of documents and
objects of historical importance
were presented to the Museum.
The official opening of the first
phase of the Museum of Cinema
in an old building in Lalezar Av-
enue of Tehran by deputy minis-
ter of the time was a step towards
the coming true of the dream of
having a museum for Iranian
cinema. In 2002, the Museum
was transferred to a larger and
more beautiful building (Baghe
Ferdows, the summer residence
of Qajar Kings)in Northern Teh-
ran and was officially opened by
the president of the time Seyyed
Mohammad Khatami on Sep-
tember 19.
The Museum of Iranian cinema has
three halls and five departments:
1.The first hall and the entry to the

Museum is the place of exhibi-
tion of the early history of Ira-
nian films.
2. In the second hall more recent
history of Iranian cinema (1951-
2000) is presented.
3.The third hall is the showcase of
the world success of Iranian cin-
ema and participation of Iranian
films in International festivals.
4. A special section of the Museum
is dedicated to the “Sacred De-
fense Cinema” and the films pro-
duced in this genre.
5. Documents and pictures showing
the contribution of Armenian Ira-
nians to the Iranian cinema are
exhibited in another department
of the Museum.
6.The documents, pictures and ob-
jects related to the films for chil-
dren and teen-agers are presented
in another special section of the
Museum.
7. Old sound equipment, grama-
phones and vinyl discs, photos of
musicians who have composed
music for films are beautifully
presented in the Dubbing and
Music department.
Art and Cultural
Organization of Tehran
Municipality
Tehran municipality set up a spe-
cial organization to boost artistic
and cultural activities in the so-
ciety and to train the citizens the
rules of behavior in a megacity.
The board of directors of the Or-
ganization consists of:
CHAPTER
● Minister of Culture and Islamic
Guidance
● Minister of Education
● Chairman of Islamic Counsel of
City of Tehran Cinematic
Organizations
● Mayor of Tehran &
● Head of Islamic Propagation Or- Institutions
ganization of Tehran
● Director of IRIB
● Manager of the Center for Intel-
lectual Development of Children
and Young Adults.
Its tasks are defined as follows:
1. Drawing executive guidelines
for artistic and cultural activities
of Tehran Municipality and af-
filiated organizations on the basis
of the general cultural policies of
the Islamic Republic of Iran.
2. Planning, organizing, moni-
toring and conducting cultural,
artistic and sport activities of
related centers, institutions, and
organizations with the aim of
developing an authentic Islamic
and Iranian culture.
3. Managing the cultural and artis-
tic institutions and centers affili-
ated to Tehran Municipality.
4. Supporting the cultural and ar-
tistic centers of Tehran Munici-
pality by providing them with re-
sources for research, and educa-
tional equipment and facilities.
5. To encourage spirituality, affec-
tion and sociability in the young
generation.
6- Creating a suitable and safe at-
mosphere for the presence of the Iranian
families in cultural places and cinema
boosting their cultural interests 43
 CHAPTER
and understanding.
7- Conducting cultural and socio-
logical research about Tehran.
8- Registering, saving and publish-
Cinematic ing valuable cultural and artistic
Organizations
& works.
Institutions 9- Attempting to increase the in-
dividual consumption of cultural
goods.
The production of cultural prod-
ucts in the Organization witnessed
an unprecedented growth in 2005
when Mohammad Mahdi Asgar-
pour was appointed the head of
the Organization. Only in the last
year, several television projects
and movies like Mainline and M
for Mother were produced by the
Organization.
Iranian Association of
Animated Films
Founded in 1977 by some stu-
dents and teachers of animation
filmmaking, it worked unofficially
and held its meetings at the homes
of the members until 1986. Mean-
while it became a member of Inter-
national Animated Film Associa-
tion. In 1986, the graduates of the
animation faculty of the Universi-
ty of Arts officially announced the
establishment of the Association.
The Iranian Association of Ani-
mated Films has organized three
International Film Festivals and
more annual events. Its main ob-
44
jectives are:
1- Providing ground for the growth
of the art of animation.
2- Active participation in interna-
tional animation societies.
3- Organizing cultural events such
as festivals, seminars, lectures,
film screenings.
4- Establishing and operating re-
search centers, information cen-
ters and an archive of animated
films.
5- Helping to facilitate the educa-
tion and training of animation in
the country.
Noureddin Zarrinkelek, founder
and director of Iranian Associa-
tion of Animated Films is also
the chairman of the board of di-
rectors of International Animated
Film Association.
Center for Intellectual
Development of Children
and Young Adults
The Center for Intellectual De-
velopment of Children and Young
Adults was founded in 1964. A
year after its establishment, it was
interested in film production and
launched a film festival for the
films for children and teen-agers
run by Hazhir Dariush. In the first
three editions of the event, not even
one Iranian film was screened. In
1969, Abbas Kiarostami, then busy
in making commercials, was invit-
ed to set up a film department for
the Centre. In the fifth edition of
the Festival, seven films produced
by the Centre including Bread
and alley (Nan va koutche/Abbas
Kiarostami/1970) were exhibited.
In 1975, Ebrahim Forouzesh was
appointed as the manager of the
 CHAPTER

Cinematic
Organizations
&
Institutions

● Mainline (Khoonbazi/Rakhshan Bani Etemad /2006)

Iranian
● M for mother, (Mim mesle madar/Rasool Mollagholi poor/2006)
cinema
45
 CHAPTER
Department of Cinema of the Cen-
tre and Noureddin Zarrinkelk as
the head of a new section called
Experiments and Training.
Cinematic After some years of unstable
Organizations
& management, Kamal Kharrazi was
Institutions appointed as the director of the
Centre in 1979. Abbas Kiarostami
and Ebrahim Forouzesh resigned
from their executive positions
to focus on creative work for the
center. The success of The Run-
ner (Davandeh/Amir Naderi/1985)
and Where is the friend’s home?
(Khane-ye doust kojast? /Abbas
Kiarostami/1988), two of the films
produced by the Centre, in interna-
tional film festivals, put it in the fo-
cus of intellectual film viewers of
the world. In coming years, Kiar-
ostami left the Centre; however its
activities continued. It organizes
an international film festival of an-
imation films and produces films,
some of which, such as Children
of the heaven (Bachehaye aseman/
Majid Majidi/1997), become inter-
national successes.
Soureh Cinema
Development
Organization
After about two decades of semi-
professional cultural activities and
short film production since 1981,
Soureh organization established
its professional film production
46
and distribution company called
Soureh Cinema Development Or-
ganization. It tries to encourage a
cinema true to the humanistic and
spiritual values of the society by
providing production and exhibi-
tion support to the films.
It has produced and distributed
more than 50 feature-length pro-
fessional films.
Visual Media Institution
Video entered Iran in the last
years of Shah Regime. After the
victory of the Islamic Revolution,
use of video-tapes as a form of en-
tertainment became widespread.
Video clubs opened everywhere
to meet the vast demand and even
a center for publication and distri-
bution of video tapes was found-
ed. However, in 1983 video was
banned and all video clubs were
closed. Distribution of video tapes
went underground and became a
profitable business.
It took a decade to found a legal
organization for publication of
video tapes called Visual Media
Institution which put an end to
smuggling and illegal circulation
of video. Islamic Parliament ap-
proved a law to regulate the use
and supply of video players. The
board of directors of the Institu-
tion consisted of the Minister of
Culture and Islamic Guidance of
the time, the manager of the In-
stitute, and Deputy Minister of
Culture and Islamic Guidance for
Cinematic Affairs.
For many years, the Visual Me-
dia Institution was the only organi-
zation authorized to release video
products. However, in 2000, Image

of the Art World, the first private
company for release and produc-
tion of video tapes was set up and
official inaugurated in presence of
Deputy Minister of Culture and
Islamic Guidance for Cinematic
Affairs.
Presently, ten companies are ac-
tive in the field, of course mainly
releasing VCDs and DVDs. Their
main problem is now piracy and il-
legal replication which needs close
consideration of the authorities.
Documentary and
Experimental Film
Centre (DEFC)
The main objective of the Doc-
umentary and Experimental Film
Centre (DEFC) is to support the
production of documentary and
experimental films. It sets the
guidelines and general policies
for the documentary and ex-
perimental cinema and uses its
financial means to implement
these policies. Influential both in
policymaking and in production,
it plays a very important role in
the field.
Islamic Republic of Iran
Broadcasting (IRIB)
IRIB is the national broadcast-
ing organization of the country. It
broadcasts five TV channels and is
the largest producer of TV films,
documentaries and shows. It is an
extensive organization with a large
number of studios, production cen-
CHAPTER
ters, laboratories and other facili-
ties. Its task is to purchase, produce,
dub, and broadcast a variety of pro-
grams for all tastes and all classes
Cinematic
of Iranian people. It also broadcasts Organizations
for the Iranians all over the world &
and also in other languages for Institutions
other people interested in Iranian
politics and culture.
In 1994, IRIB set up Sima Film,
an affiliated film production com-
pany, for production of A and B
quality movies, drama, documen-
taries and other programs, with an
emphasis on Iranian and Islamic
moral, cultural and artistic values.
Marketing and exchange of films
nationally and internationally,
cooperation with other organiza-
tions, private or public, active in
film production for the optimum
use of common resources and fa-
cilities such as Cinematic Town,
are among the other objectives of
Sima Film.
Sima Film conducts research,
collects, saves and analyzes in-
formation about the Image In-
dustry of the country and offers
such information to producers
and researchers. To meet its needs
for planning a wide range of ac-
tivities, Sima Film needs useful
information about the sources of
acquiring film-scripts, production
and technical facilities, film stock
and so on.
The films and programs produced
by Sima Film are broadcast by var-
ious channels of Iranian state TV Iranian
and also distributed through video cinema
network. 47
 CHAPTER
Cinema Media
International
The international relations of
Cinematic IRIB are governed by the follow-
Organizations ing four departments of Cinema
& make films in Iran and to provide
Institutions Media International.
●Department of Marketing and
sales
All marketing and promotional
activities for internationally sell-
able films and programs of IRIB
are conducted by this depart-
ment. Attending international
film festivals and film markets
and preparation of catalogues,
brochures, posters and other ad-
vertising material are among the
tasks of the Department of Mar-
keting and Sales. It is also re-
sponsible for purchase of foreign
films and programs.
To perform its duties, it has
sometimes to monitor the pro-
duction process of a film or TV
show to guarantee its completion
on time.
48
●Department of Joint Production
The Department of Joint Pro-
duction is responsible for com-
munication and coordination
with foreign producers willing to
them with technical support and
to satisfy their artistic and orga-
nizational needs.
●Department of Preparation and
Supply
It is mainly responsible for pro-
viding scripts for production of
programs and TV shows. To find
and train new talented script-
writers and sign contracts with
them are some of its duties.
●Department of Festivals
Attending international film and
TV festivals, study their organi-
zation and methods in order to
improve quality of national fes-
tivals and also to participate in
film and TV markets to purchase
programs and to sell Iranian TV
shows and films, are the respon-
sibility of this department.
 House
C H A P T E R
of
Cinema
CHAPTER
House
of
Cinema
T
he House of Cinema is an
interesting and rare case of
establishment of a trade as-
sociation by the government. It is
something between an NGO and
a syndicate and its fifteen years of
existence have been an exercise in
democracy. In 1989 The cinema De-
partment of the Ministry of Culture
and Islamic Guidance was trying to
create a new kind of cinema in place
of the pre-Revolutionary one that
had been perished as a social insti-
tution, but individuals working in it
were still active. Seyyed Moham-
mad Beheshti, the head of the Farabi
Cinema Foundation at the time, often
known as the architect of the new
Iranian cinema, and his colleagues in
the Ministry, decided to found an or-
ganization that should bring together
the people still busy in film produc-
tion, to make it possible to negotiate
with a social entity, not individuals.
50
It was an endeavor to trust the han-
dling of their affairs to the people,
while keeping state control. This
was in line with the general policy
of planning to create a cinema sub-
sidized and supervised by state, but
organizationally independent. They
contacted well-known individuals
of various cinematic professions and
asked them to establish their guilds.
Film-directors and cinematographers
were among the first to react. Sound
technicians, make-up artists and art
directors followed suite.
By the end of the Iranian year 1371
(20 March 1992), when the first gen-
eral assembly of the House was con-
vened and the first elected board of
the house took over, 19 trade guilds
had been formed. Next year, in Feb-
ruary 1993, for he first time, some of
the programs of the Fajr Film Fes-
tival, such as the first conference of
filmmakers of Islamic countries and
the Paradjanov exhibition, were held
in The House of Cinema.
During the following years, most
of the members of the cinematic
guilds were put under the coverage
of life insurance. This was one of the
dreams of all people working in film
industry.

In May 1996, Seyfollah Dad be-
came the head of the newly elected
Board of The House of Cinema. He
was an established film-director. A
year later, when he was appointed the
head of the cinematic and audiovisu-
al affairs department of the Ministry
of Culture and Islamic Guidance in
the first cabinet of President Moham-
mad Khaatami, a new era of close
cooperation between the House and
the Ministry began. Representatives
of the House of Cinema took part in
various policy-making committees
of the Ministry such as those respon-
sible for qualitative rating of films,
issuing production permits and regu-
lating the exhibition. Thus the House
of Cinema played a considerable role
in designing and implementing the
cultural policies of the government in
the field of cinema.
In the same period, the first annual
celebration of the House of Cinema
takes place. It was thought to be an
Oscar-like ceremony to select the
best film artists in various categories
by their own colleagues. The celebra-
tion helped the House of Cinema to
be better known by the general pub-
lic as an organization and consolidate
its place in the cultural life of the
Iranian society. President Hashemi
Rafsanjani, and most of the veteran
Iranian filmmakers, including Abbas
Kiarostami, took part in the event and
gave credence to it.
During the same period, the prob-
lem of job security was raised for the
first time. A resolution by the Board
of the House of Cinema demanded
al guilds to plan how to ensure that
CHAPTER
the people employed in film projects
were legitimate members of the guild,
to prevent the hiring of unqualified
workers and technicians with lower
wages and to regulate the enrollment House
of
of new members of the guild. The Cinema
aim was to guard job security of the
workers of film industry on the one
hand and to enhance the quality of
films on the other.
The House of Cinema is trying to
arbitrate the financial and other dis-
putes between its members through
its judicial bodies. The Supreme Ju-
dicial Council made up of one repre-
sentative from each of the guilds ap-
pointed for a two-year term is respon-
sible for the general policies. It elects
the five members of the Judiciary
Board, the body that does the actual
job of arbitrating a large number of
cases presented to it.
Film-Script Bank, founded in 1998,
is a place, where any real person can
register his/her screenplay, to guard
it against possible appropriation and
abuse by film producers and others.
It is trusted by judiciary bodies of the
House of Cinema, and its experts are
counseled in several cases.
The public announcements of the
House of Cinema on various occa-
sions, that address a vast range of is-
sues, from inviting people to take
part in elections, commemorating
the death of Iranian poet Ahmad
Shamloo, to reacting to the arrest
of filmmakers, closing down of
film publications and conviction
of the US invasion of Afghanistan, Iranian
show that it is not indifferent to its cinema
social environment. 51
CHAPTER
Presently, the following 29 guilds are member of the House of Cinema:
1- The Association of the Actors
2- The Association of the Stunts
3- The Association of Special effects
House 4- The Association of Make up Artists
of
Cinema 5- The Association of Cinema Owners
6- The Association of Animation
7- The Association of Sound Artists and Technicians
8- The Association of Art Directors
9- The Association of Stage Designers
10- The Association of Film Photographers
11- The Association of Cinematographers
12- The Association of Laboratory Technicians
13- The Association of Dubbing Artists.
14- The Association of Film Logistics Managers
15- The Association of Production Managers
16- The association of Film Theatre Managers
17- The Association of Documentary Makers
18- The Association of Script Clerks
19- The Association of Film Critics and Writers
20- The Union of film Producers and Distributors
21- The Association of Editors
22- The Association of Assistants of Cinematography
23- The Association of Assistant Directors
24- The Association of Scrip-Writers
25- The Association of Film Directors
26- The Association of Film Teachers
27- The Association of Film Composers
28- The Association of Documentary Producers
29- The Association of Short film Makers
Organizational Chart of the House of Cinema:
Representatives of the Executive deputies
House of Cinema in various Managing
Director
governmental bodies The staff

Inspector The Board

Judicial Board Temporary
Alternate Inspector (5 main + 2 alternate members) committees

52
Supreme Judicial Council General Assembly Trade guilds of various
(two representatives from each guild) professions of film
production
 CHAPTER

House
of
Cinema

● House of Cinema, Tehran 2008

● Gathering held to three honors of Iranian cinema; Seyyed Mohammad Beheshti, Farhad
Fakhreddini, Ali Kasmai in 11 th. Annual celebration of House of cinema/ From left
Iranian
to right: Alireza Davoodnejad, S.M. Beheshti, Kiumars Poorahmad, Reza Mirkarimi, cinema
Majid Majidi / 2007 53
CHAPTER
Presently Roya Teymourian, Mo-
hammad-Reza Sokout, Mohammad
Sarrir, Jafar Fatemi, Ali Moalem,
and Kamran Maleki are the mem-
House bers of the board of directors of The
of
Cinema
House of Cinema.
Seyyed Reza Mirkarimi is the
chairman of the board and the
managing director of the House
of Cinema.

54
 Film
Schools &
C H A P T E R
Training
Centers
 CHAPTER
Film
Schools
&
Training Centers
The University of Art
The University of Art (also
known as the University of Cinema
and Theatre) was founded in 1964
by the Ministry of Culture and Art
of the time and was then called
the University of Dramatic Arts.
It was the first higher education
institute teaching cinema. Pres-
ently the University has five sec-
tions, including a film department.
The students of the department of
cinema can specialize in directing,
script writing, cinematography or
editing.It grants BA degrees.
Soureh University
In 1993, Soureh society started
to enroll students for higher edu-
cation. It worked under the super-
vision of Art Bureau of Islamic
Propaganda Organization and in-
tended to train artists committed
to the cause of Islamic Revolution.
56
Initially the students were admit-
ted without any entrance exam for
two-year courses. In 1997, the edu-
cational department of Soureh was
renamed Soureh University and
began to admit students through
nationwide annual higher educa-
tion examination for four-year
courses and B.A. degrees. The stu-
dents get practical and theoretical
training.
IRIB University
In 1966, Iranian National Ra-
dio and Television Organization
founded its own college for train-
ing technicians and artists for its
ever-increasing production proj-
ects. Initially it organized two-
year-long courses. After the vic-
tory of the Islamic Revolution, it
developed into IRIB University
in 1981. Department of Educa-
tion and Department of Research
are the principal sections of IRIB
University. The first is respon-
sible for all educational affairs
of associate degree, BA and MA
courses. It offers six specialized
courses in film, television, graphic
design, animation, photography,
and production management. The

Research Department is respon-
sible for supporting all research
projects and activities done in the
University. IRIB University offers
MA courses in Research in Media
Communication.
IRIB University admits foreign
students in coordination with the
Ministry of Science, Research
and Technology, and the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs. Presently, stu-
dents from Albania, Bosnia, Leba-
non, Afghanistan and Macedonia
study there.
Iran Young Cinema Society
In Accordance with the general
policies of the Ministry of Culture
and Islamic Guidance to train the
younger generation, the Young
Cinema Organization launched
its activities by opening 50 offices
all over the country. Anybody in-
terested in learning filmmaking
skills can take part in its courses
without taking any entrance exams
and paying a small tuition. They
can take short three-month-long
courses in photography, directing,
editing, scriptwriting, and cinema-
tography.
Numerous films made by the stu-
dents of the Society are being exhib-
ited in international film festivals and
awarded for their creative merits.
Private Institutions for
Film Education
Due to the enthusiasm of Iranian
youth to learn cinema, several pri-
vate educational institutions have
been founded. Initially these were
CHAPTER
authorized by and working under
the supervision of the Ministry of
Labor and Social Affairs. How-
ever, in early 1980s, the task of
supervising private film schools Film
Schools
was transferred to the Ministry of &
Culture and Islamic Guidance. Training Centers
A large number of private film
schools were opened, many of
them in Tehran, but only the better-
organized ones survived. Acting
schools are particularly popular
among Iranian youth. The follow-
ing are some of the better-known
film schools of the country:
Beh Andish Cultural
Institute
It was founded in 1996 by well-
known film teacher and director
Bozorgmehr Rafi’a.
It offered courses in script-writing,
play-writing, film and theater direct-
ing, cinematography, at various lev-
els of associate degree, B.A and MA.
Samandarian Art Train-
ing Center
Founded in 1994 by well-known
stage actor Hamid Samandarian, It
offers courses in acting, direct-
ing, and history of cinema.
Young Fimmakers Center
Founded in 1999 by Hussein Sa-
hebi, it has courses in script-writing,
cinematography, directing, and acting.
Acting Workshop
It was founded in 1995. It is run by Iranian
Amin Tarokh, the well-known actor cinema
of Iranian cinema and theatre. 57
 CHAPTER
Expressive skills, Uga, rhyth-
mic movements, improvisation,
communication of the actors with
the director, cinematographer
Film and editor, are some of the topics
Schools
& taught in the classes of the Acting
Training Centers
Workshop.
Karnameh Institute
It is run by Negar Eskandarfar
58
and offers courses in acting, film
analysis, and script-writing.
Kargahe Azad-e Film
It was founded in 2001. It is
run by Mosoud Kimiai,the well-
known director of Iranian Cinema.
Training cinematography, Acting
Directing is some of activities of
Kargahe Azad-e Film.
 CHAPTER

Film
Schools
&
Training Centers

Iranian

C H A P T E R
Film
Festivals

Iranian
cinema
59
 CHAPTER
Iranian Film
Festivals
ilm festivals are symbols of
dynamism and livelihood
of the national cinema of a
country. Over fifty film festivals
are held in Iran every year. Each
of these, focusing on a particular
subject or genre, is an opportunity
for discovery of new talent and ap-
preciation of established filmmak-
ers. The following is a list of some
of more important film festivals of
the country.
Fajr International Film
Festival
It is held every year by Farabi
Cinema Foundation during the ten
days of celebration of the victory of
Islamic Revolution (1-11 February).
Fajr International Film Festival was
founded in 1982 and has been held
regularly since then. For several rea-
sons, It is an important event in the
cultural life of Iranian society. It is
60
closely linked to the developments
in Iranian cinema and is a showcase
for the introduction of the best of
its annual production. It is held on
an extensive scale and creates an
enthusiastic atmosphere, thus draw-
ing public attention to Iranian films.
And finally, it helps to promote the
status of the artists in the eyes of the
society.
Thus, Fajr International Film Festi-
val is a place for everyone interested
in the present and past of the Iranian
cinema and Iranian culture in general.
It awards Crystal Simorghs (a bird in
Iranian mythology literally meaning
“thirty birds”) in various categories.
Website: www.fajrfilmfest.com
International Festival of
Films for Children and
the Young Adults
It was initially launched as part
of the fourth edition of Fajr Inter-
national Film Festival in 1985. In
1990, it became an annual inde-
pendent event held in historic city
of Isfahan every autumn. It awards
Golden Butterflies to the best films
and artists taking part in the com-
petition section.
Website; www.fcf.ir

Roshd International Film
Festival
It is held by Educational Me-
dia Procurement (Educational
Technology) Department of the
Ministry of Education. Films
about a variety of subjects such
as science, technology, Culture,
educational issues related to the
children and young adults, family,
sports, health, and exceptional
children take part in the various
sections of the Festival. It is held
in November 6-16 every year and
awards the best works in differ-
ent categories with Silver Statu-
ettes.
Website; www.roshdfestival.com
Tehran International
Short Film Festival
It is held by the Iranian Young
Cinema Society annually since
1983. In 1995, it became an inter-
national film festival. Regularly
held in November in Tehran, it
is the most important short film
event of the country and one of the
best short film festivals on interna-
tional level.
Website: www.shortfilmfest.ir
Tehran International Ani-
mation Festival
The Center for Intellectual De-
velopment of Children and Young
Adults organizes the Festival in
Tehran biennially. It is a showcase
for work of Iranian animators and
an opportunity for Iranian audi-
ence to see works by the best inter-
CHAPTER
national artists of the field.
Website: www.tehran-animafest.com
Iranian Student Film and
Iranian Film
Photo Festival (ISFPF) Festivals
Organized by the Ministry of
Science, Research and Technolo-
gy, this festival has three sections,
namely the Main Section, Special
Section and Support Project Sec-
tion. This festival admits films
made by students in all genres. So
far, the Ministry has held five edi-
tions of this festival.
www.isfpf.ir
Kish Documentary Film
Festival
Held in Kish Island in the Persian
Gulf by Kish Free Zone Organiza-
tion, it is the only documentary
film festival of the country. Vari-
ous sections of the festival include:
the Iranian Cinema Competition,
International Competition as well
as accessory programs such as re-
view of documentary films made
in other countries. Seven editions
of this festival have so far been
held.
Website: www.kdffestival.ir
Sacred Defense Film Fes-
tival
Organized by the Cinema and
Audiovisual Affairs Department of
the Ministry of Culture and Islamic
Guidance in cooperation with the
Revolutionary and Sacred Defense Iranian
Cinema Association, it exhibits cinema
new films as well as the classics of 61
 CHAPTER
the genre. This festival has several
sections including review of Sacred
Defense films in competitive and
non-competitive sections. Ten edi-
Iranian Film tions of this festival have been held
Festivals so far.
Tel & Fax: +98 21 88807834-
88809528
Red Olive One-Minute
Film Festival
A festival dedicated to films about
the people of Palestine and their
ordeal. It has two sections: One
Minute films, and the films running
from one to five minutes.
E-mail: info@zaytoonsorkh.ir
Police Film Festival
Held by the Islamic Republic of
62
Iran Police, its objective is to pay trib-
ute to artists appearing in police films.
Website: www.pff.ir
International Urban Film
Festival
Culture and Art Organization of
Tehran Municipality organizes this
event in cooperation with the City
Image Development Institute. Its
objective is to exhibit Iranian and
foreign films about every aspect of
urban life.
Website: www.urbunfilmfest.org
Green International Film
Festival
It is held by the Department of
Environment every two years.
Website: www.igff4.com
 Some
significant
event
C H A P T E R
Of Iranian
Cinema in
Last years
 CHAPTER
Some significant
events Of
Iranian Cinema
in
Last years
2005
● In August, Alireza Rezadad,
head of the Farabi Cinema Foun-
dation announced that Iranian
Parliament had approved to al-
locate 35 billion Rials budget
for the improvement of film
production standards of Iranian
films. According to Rezadad, the
money would be spent on creat-
ing a cinematic infrastructure
conforming to present day inter-
national technical standards.
● Iranian movie Portrait of a
Lady far away (Sima-ye zani dar
doordast/Ali Mosaffa/2005) was
selected as the best film of six-
teenth Iranian Films Festival in
Chicago by the audience.
● Cafe Transit (Kambuzia Par-
tovi /2005) was simultaneously
64
screened in Tehran and inter-
national screens. French film
company Margit Film released
the film in USA, Canada, Eng-
land, Greece, and Unites Arab
Emirates.
● Sean Penn in Iran: In June
2005, American film actor Sean
Penn visited Iran. He said he had
traveled to Iran to cover presi-
dential elections of the country
for an American newspaper. He
interviewed some of the candi-
dates, including Hojjatoleslam
Hashemi Rafsanjani and Moham-
mad-Bagher Ghalibaf. He also
met with Iranian film people in
the Museum of Cinema, where he
was awarded with a statuette of
the House of Cinema and a prize
by the Museum of Cinema.
● Winterbottom in Iran: English
film-director Michael Winter-
bottom, who had been in Iran
for his film In this world (2002)
previously, shot the final scenes
of his latest film The Road to
Guantanamo in Iran. He did so
without much media coverage
and publicity. The Afghanistan

sequences were shot in Sistan and
Baluchestan province of Iran and
the Guantanamo scenes in Chitgar
area not far from Tehran.
● Documentaries on 52 Ira-
nian film artists: Seyyed Reza
Mirkarimi, who is also the man-
aging director of the House of
Cinema, has initiated a project
of making 52 documentary films
about the significant directors,
actors, cinematographers and
other creative artists of Iranian
cinema.
He is also directing another
project called A Film, An Experi-
ence with the aim of production of
documentaries about some indi-
vidual films made after the Revo-
lution that have attained the status
of classics of Iranian cinema.
The objective of a third project
run by Mirkarimi is production
of documentary films about the
significant cultural and scien-
tific figures of the country. This
is sponsored by the Cultural and
Artistic Institute of Tehran Mu-
nicipality. In 2006 he also fin-
ished an episodic film consisting
of shorts by famous Iranian di-
rectors about Persian carpet.
● In March, in the 29th edition
of Hong Kong Film Festival,
Bahman Ghobadi’s film Turtles
can fly (Lakposht ha ham parvaz
mikonand/2004) won the best
film prize of the Global Church.
It was also selected as the best
film by the audience in the 16th
CHAPTER
Nat film festival of Denmark.
● The International Center of
Children and the Youth Cinema
which is located in Montreal, Some significant
events
Canada, held its public meeting Of Iranian Cinema in
of May 26-31, 2005 in Tehran. It Last years
was hosted by the Center for In-
tellectual Development of Chil-
dren and Young Adults of Iran.
The Minister of Culture and
Islamic Guidance attended the
meeting alongside representa-
tives of 23 countries.
● In June 2005, the documentary
film The Other side of Burka (Az
pase borghe/2004) by Mehrdad
Oskouei won the Golden Dragon
of Short Film Festival of Kra-
kow of Poland.
● In June 2005, Locarno Film Fes-
tival awarded Abbas Kiarostami
with an honorary award for his
significant work in contempo-
rary cinema.
● In December 2005, during
the public meeting of the In-
ternational Federation of Film
Producers’ Association held in
Paris, the application of Iran for
membership was discussed and
the House of Cinema of Iran was
voted to be the thirty-first mem-
ber of the organization.
● In November 2005, Morroco
International Film Festival award- Iranian
ed Abbas Kiarostami with an hon- cinema
orary prize. The prize was given to 65

CHAPTER
him by Martin Scorsese.
● In September 2005, dur-
ing the 10th annual celebration
Some significant of the House of Cinema, Akira
events Of
Iranian Cinema Kurosawa was commemorated.
in World-famous Japanese direc-
Last years tor’s assistant Ms. Nagami and
Satoru Iseki, one of the produc-
tion managers of Ran (1985),
were present.
● Iranian films are the most
popular Middle-Eastern films
in Europe. According to a re-
port published by Focus maga-
zine during the Cannes Film
Festival, three Iranian films are
among the Middle-Eastern films
selling best in European coun-
tries in the period 1996-2005.
Kandahar (Safar e ghandehar/
2001) by Mohsen Makhmalbaf
with an audience of 1’350’000
topped the list, The Circle
(Dayareh/2000) by Jafar Pana-
hi with an audience of 572’000
was in the fifth place and Abbas
Kiarostami’s The Taste of cher-
ry (Ta’m e guilass/1997)with
421’000 audience occupied the
8th place.
● Ezzatollah Entezami was
honored by UNESCO. The
Weeks of Foreign Culture was
held in Paris from 25th of Sep-
tember to 7th of October 2005.
66
As part of the event, Iranian veter-
an actor Ezzatollah Entezami was
honored formally in UNESCO
palace.
2006
● 1410 cases of presence of Iranian
films in International events, 150 in-
ternational awards and participation
of 26 Iranian film artists in juries of
various international film festivals in
2006 was a new record for Iranian
cinema. All in all, Iranian films have
taken part in 15114 international
events and won 1168 international
prizes after the victory of Islamic
Revolution. It means that an Iranian
film has participated in an interna-
tional event every 1.5 day and one
has won an international prize every
8.5 days.
● In January 2006, Jafar Panahi’s
Offside (2006) won the Silver Bear of
Berlin International Film Festival.
● Juliet Binoche in Iran: Ju-
liet Binoche, the Oscar-winning
French actress visited Iran in
March 2006 on an invitation from
Abbas Kiarostami. It was said that
Kiarostami was thinking of casting
her in his next film.
● Three Iranian films, Men at work
(Kargaran mashghoole karand/
Mani Haghighi), Iron Island (Jazireh
aahani/Mohammad Rasoulof) and
President Mir Ghanbar (Reisjom-
hour Mirghanbar /Mohammad
Shirvani) were screened in Traverse
City Film Festival of Michael Moor
begun from 31 July 2006.
● A few kilos of dates for the fu-
neral (Chand kilo khorma baraye
 CHAPTER

Some significant
events
Of Iranian Cinema in
Last years

● Gathering held to honor Korosawa in House of Cinema

Iranian
cinema
● Carpet, Horse, Torkaman ( Khosro Sinai / From Persian Carpet/ 2006)
67
 CHAPTER
maraseme tadfin)directed by Sa-
man Salour was awarded as the
best film in the “Filmmakers of
Our Times” section of the Locarno
Some significant Film Festival in August.
events Of
Iranian Cinema
in ● On the 30th day of the Israeli bar-
Last years baric air attacks on Lebanon, Iranian
filmmakers took part in a gathering
in “Cinema Felestin” of Tehran to
convict the cruel act of the Zionist re-
gime. The documentary film Ghana
(Mohammad-Reza Abbasian) was
exhibited in the end of the meeting.
● A 15 episode film named Ira-
nian Carpet was made in order
to represent Iranian carpet to the
world by 15 Iranian directors. The
producer of this project is Reza
Mirkarimi. Iranian Carpet contains
15 short films made by Afkhami,
Bani-Etemad, Beizai, Panahi, Ta-
brizi, Daad, Raii, Zarrin kelk, Sinai,
Farmanara, Kiarostami, Majidi,
Mehrjui, Mirkarimi, Honarmand.
● Golden Shell of St. Sebastian
Film Festival was awarded to Bah-
man Ghobadi’s Half moon (Nimeye
mah). The film was also awarded for
its cinematography by Nigel Black
from New Zealand. The latter, one
of the four cinematographers of The
Lord of the Rings, had traveled to
Iran to work with Ghobadi. Half
moon(Nimeye mah) was also select-
ed by the FIPRESCI jury present in
68
St. Sebastian. Ghobadi’s The Turtles
can fly (Lakposht ha ham parvaz
mikonand) had won St. Sebastian’s
first award the previous year.
● Three films directed by Iranian
women, Unwanted woman (Zane
ziadi/Tahmineh Milani), Friday
evening (Asre jome/Mona Zandi)
and Sweet marmalade (Morabbaye
shirin/Marzieh Boroumand), were
screened in Babylon film theatre of
Berlin as part of the “Iranian Cin-
ema Days” organized by Heinrisch
Boll foundation of Germany.
● In October,Reza Mirkarimi, di-
rector of films such as The Child
and the The Soldier(Koudak va
sarbaz), Under the moonlight(Zire
noore mah), and So far away,
so close (Kheili dour, kheili
nazdik)was selected as the execu-
tive manager of the House of Cin-
ema.
● Fireworks wednesday (Cha-
harshanbeh souri) by Asghar Far-
hadi was awarded as the best film
in Chicago Film Festival.
● It’s Winter(Zemestan ast) di-
rected by Rafi Pits won the Silver
Grapes award of Viadolid Film
Festival of Spain. The best cinema-
tography prize of the festival was
granted to Mohammad Davoodi
for the same film.
● The 51st edition of Asia-Pacific
International Film Festival awarded
Tahmineh Milani’s The Unwanted
woman(Zane ziadi) for best direct-
ing, best film and best film-script.
● Friday evening (Asre jome) by
Mona Zandi was selected as the
 CHAPTER

Some significant
events
Of Iranian Cinema in
Last years

● So far away so close (Kheili dour kheili nazdik / Reza Mirkarmi /2006)

Iranian
cinema
● The Turtles can fly (Lakposht ha ham pavaz mikonand / Bahman Ghobadi /2005) 69
 CHAPTER
second best film Tsaloniki Film
Festival.
● In the Japanese film festival
Some significant Filmex, the audience voted for
events Of
Iranian Cinema Jafar Panahi’s Offside as their fa-
in vorite.
Last years
In November,Farokh Ghafari, vet-
eran Iranian filmmaker, founder of
Kanoon-e Film (Iranian cinamate-
que) and director of films such as
South of the city (Jonube shahr/
1958) and The Night of the hunch-
back (Shabe Ghuzi/1965), who
lived in Paris, passed away at the
age of 85.
2007
● A program of exhibition of
Iranian war films was organized
in Barbican Centre of London
from 22 to 28th of February. Docu-
mentaries on the eight-year-long
war imposed by Iraqi regime on
Iran were exhibited along feature
films such as Gilaneh (Rakhshan
Bani-Etemad) and Bashoo the
little Stranger (Bashoo gharibeye
koochak/Bahram Beizayi). On 24th
of February a seminar on the war
documentaries of Iranian cinema
was held where scholars and film-
critics lectured on different aspects
of the documentary films made
during the war and particularly the
work of Narrative of victory (Rav-
70
ayat-e Fath) group was discussed.
● 25th International Fajr Film
Festival, Tehran, 1-11 February
Best Film: The Third Day (Rouze
sevvom/Mohammad hossein Lati-
fi) produced by Alireza Jalaly.
Best Script: Mainline (Khoon-
bazi) by Rakhshan Bani-Etemad,
Naghmeh Samini, Farid Mosta-
favi, Mohsen Abdolvahab.
Best Actor: Bahram Radan for
Ali Santoori.
Best Actress: Baran Kowsari for
Mainline (Khoonbazi) and The
Third Day.
Best Cinematography: Hamid
Khozooee Abianeh for Barefoot in
Paradise.
Best Editing: Sepideh Abdolva-
hab for Mainline (Khoonbazi) .
Best Music: Diploma of honor to
Kambiz Rowshanravan for Eter-
nal Children ( Bachehaye abadi/
Pouran Derakhshandeh).
Best Sound Recording: Hasan
Zahedi and Dariush Sadeghpoor
for Barefoot in Paradise (Pa be-
rahne dar behesht/ Bahram Tava-
koli).
Best Sound Design: Mohammd-
Reza Delpak for The Rules of the
game ( Ghaede bazi/ Ahmadreza
Motamedi).
Best Production and Costume
Design: Mohsen Nowroozi for The
third day(Rouze sevvom/Moham-
mad hossein Latifi).
Best Special Effects: Mohsen
Roozbehani and Alaeddin Pozhhan
for The Rules of the game (Ghaede
bazi/Ahmadreza Motamedi).
Best Make-Up: Mehrdad Mirki-
ani for Mainline (Khoonbazi) .
Best Short Film: The Weight of being
(Vazne Boodan) by Hamid Bahrami.
 CHAPTER

Some significant
events
Of Iranian Cinema in
Last years

● Gathering of Iranian Producers, directors and actors to protest illegal distribution of CDs
and DVDs of Iranian films / June 2007

Iranian
● Annual ceremony of the House of Iranian Cinema for documentary cinema/ September
2007
cinema
71
 CHAPTER
● In March, in response to the
screening of the film 300, “Asso-
ciation of Guilds of Iranian Cin-
ema” (House of Iranian Cinema),
Some significant convicted the presentation of an
events Of
Iranian Cinema untrue and ugly image of Ira-
in nian civilization in that film and
Last years announced that the best way to
response to such works is to pro-
duce films that present the true
and noble face of Iranian civili-
zation to the world. Warner Bros,
producer of 300, announced that
the film was based on a Frank
Miller Comic Strip, was meant
as pure entertainment and had no
intention to abuse any nation or
race or be a political tribune for
anybody.
● In April, The Morteza Avini
Award for best documentary was
granted to The Pars Sea (Dary-
aye Pars) directed by veteran
documentary filmmaker Ma-
nouchehr Tayyab.
● In June, gathering of Iranian
film producers, directors and ac-
tors to protest illegal distribu-
tion of CDs and DVDs of Iranian
films. In the final declaration of
the meeting, they asked the au-
thorities to take necessary mea-
sures to safeguard the rights of
Iranian film industry.
Awards of 11th annual
ceremony of the”House
72
of cinema”
● In September, the annual cer-
emony of the “House of Iranian
Cinema” awarded the following as
the best of the year:
Documentary Cinema:
Best Short Documentary Director:
Pirouz Kalantari for Tehran how
many richters? (Tehran chand da-
rajeh rishter?)
Best Short Documentary:
The Melancholic song of moun-
tains (Taraneye anduhgine kouhes-
tan) by Hamed Khosravi.
Best Feature-Length Docu-
mentary Director:
Masoud Bakhshi for Tehran has
no pomegranates (Tehran anaar
nadarad).
Best Feature-Length Documentary:
The Lost land (Sarzamine
gomshodeh) by Vaheed Mousaian.
Best Research for a Documen-
tary Film:
Pirouz Kalantari for Tehran how
many richters? (Tehran chand da-
rajeh rishter?)
Narrative Cinema:
Best Short Film:
Empty Fish Container (Tonge
khalie mahi) by Atefeh Khade-
moreza.
Best Make-Up:
Mehrdad Mirkiani for The Rules
of the game (Ghaede bazi/ Ah-
madreza Motamedi).
Best Visual Special Effects:
Alaeddin Pozhhan for The Re-
ward of the silence (Padashe Sok-
out/Maziar Miri).
Best Field Special Effects:
Mohsen Roozbehani for The
Third day (Rouze sevvom/Moham-
 CHAPTER

Some significant
events
Of Iranian Cinema in
Last years

● 11th annual ceremony of the House of Iranian Cinema / September 2007

Iranian
● Night bus (Otobous shab / Kiumars Poorahmad /2007)
cinema
73
 CHAPTER
mad hossein Latifi)
Best Sound Recording:
Yadollah Najafi for Mainline
(Khoonbazi/Rakhshan Bani-Ete-
Some significant mad and Mohsen Abdolvahab).
events Of
Iranian Cinema Best Sound Design and Mixing:
in Masoud Behnam and Hossein Abol-
Last years sedgh for The Night bus(Otobouse
shab/Kioumars Pourahmad).
Best Art Director and costume
Design:
Iraj Raminfar for The Havana
case(Parvande Havana /Alireza
Reisian).
Best Music:
Karan Homayounfar for Zhani
Gol (Jamil Rostami).
Best Editing:
Bahram Dehghani and Reza
Shirvani for Barefoot in paradise
(Paberahne dar behesht/Bahram
Tavakkoli).
Best Cinematography:
Hamid Khozoui Abianeh for
Barefoot in paradise(Paberahne
dar behesht/Bahram Tavakkoli).
Best Actress for a complemen-
tary Role:
Sima Tirandaz for The Reward of
the Silence (Padashe Sokout/Ma-
ziar Miri)
Best Actor for a complemen-
tary Role:
Saber Abar for The Mina of the
silent city(Minaye shahre kham-
oosh/Amir shahab Razavian)
Best Actress:
Baran Kowsari for Mainline
74
(Khoonbazi).
Best Actor:
Khosrow Shakibai for The Night bus
(Otobouse shab/ K.pourahmad).
Best Script:
Kioumars Pourahmad and Habib
Ahmadzadeh for The Night bus
(Otobouse shab).
Best Director:
Rakhshan Bani-Etemad and
Mohsen Abdolvahab for Mainline
(Khoonbazi).
Best Film:
Mehdi Homayounfar for The
Night Bus (Otobouse Shab/Kiou-
mars Pourahmad)
● Documentary Power festival of
Landon announced For Freedom
(Baraye azadi), a documentary by
Hosein Torabi, as one of the most
influential ten films of the history of
documentary cinema. For Freedom
depicts the events of the Islamic
Revolution of Iran, collapse of
Shah Regime and victorious return
of Ayatollah Khomeini to Iran.
● In October,The first edition
of the documentary film festival
“Cinema Haghighat” (Cinema
Verity) held from 15 to 20th of Oc-
tober awarded the following films
as the best of the year:
Best Feature-Length Docu-
mentary:
Diplomas of Honor to The Lost
land (Sarzamine gomshode/Vaheed
Mousaian), and Child, yesterday
,imagination (Koudak,dirouz,khial/
Delaram Karkheiran).
Best Short Documentary:
Ghodrat by Mehrnaz Asadi.
Best Research:
Mohammad-Reza Farzad for
Iran in Ads(Iran dar Elaan/Farahn-

az Sharifi) and Mohammad-Reza
Abbasian for Ghana.
Best Videography:
Homayoun Payvar for M.D.M.A.
Best Editing:
Omid Bonakdar and Keyvan
Alimohammadi for M.D.M.A.
Best Sound:
Mohammad-Reza Aligholi for Ira-
nian wildlife (Hayate vahshe Iran/
Mani Sadeghi).
Best Narration:
Soudabeh Mojaveri for Inana.
Best Producer:
Ehsan Kafash and Mahmood
Ramazani for Yesterday child and
imagination (Koudake dirouz va
khial/Delaram Karkheiran)
Jury Special Prize:
Mahmood Rahmani the director
of Ground Zero (Madaare sefr da-
raje) and Soudabeh Mojaveri the
director of Inana.
● M for mother (Mim mesle
madar) directed by late Rasoul
Molagholipour won the best fea-
ture-Length film prize of Italian
international film festival Religion
Today.
● In November, Iranian cine-
ma was very successful in Asia-
Pacific film festival. The Night
bus (Otobouse shab/Kioumars
Pourahmad)won the grand jury
prize, while Rakhshan Bani-
Etemad and Mohsen Abdolva-
hab were awarded as the best
directors for Mainline (Khoon-
bazi) and Hooman Behmanesh
as the best cinematographer
CHAPTER
for Those Three(Aan seh/Naghi
Nemati).
● American director Oliver Stone
proposed to make a film about Ira- Some significant
events
nian president Mahmood Ahmadi- Of Iranian Cinema in
Nezhad. Last years
Box-Office Figures for
Iranian films from 2001
to 2007
Iranian Best-Sellers
Among the 46 films screened
in Iran in 2001, Killing mad dogs
(Sagkoshi/Bahram Beizai/2001)
earned the most box-office reve-
nue (3,234,545,500 Rials/ 404,318
USD). The total sale of the Iranian
films amounted to 41,520,000,000
Rials/ 5,190,000 USD.
In 2002, 40 Iranian films were
screened. Kolah ghermezi and
Sarvenaz (Iraj Tahmaseb/2002), a
comedy with the popular puppet
character Kolah Ghermezi (mean-
ing the boy wearing a red hat) with
5,422,113,500 Rials / 6,524 USD
sold best. The total sales of the
year amounted to 45,350,000,000
Rials/ 5,668,750 USD.
The list of Iranian best-sellers
of 2003 was topped by Tokyo
Non-Stop (Tokyo bedoone tavag-
hof / Saeed Alamezadeh/2003)
witch grossed 4,326,011,500 Ri-
als/ 54075 USD out of total sale
of 35,300,000,000Rials/4,412,500
USD for all Iranian films of the
year. Iranian
In 2004, The Lizard (Marmou- cinema
lak/Kamal Tabrizi/2004) sold 75
 CHAPTER
7,719,728,500 Rials/96,466 USD
and topped the list of best-selling
movies of the year. The total sale
of all Iranian films in the same
Some significant year was 55,950,000,000 Rials/
events Of
Iranian Cinema 6,993,750 USD.
in Of 39 Iranian films screened in
Last years 2005, Maxx (Saman Moghaddam/
2005) became the best sell-
ing film of the year grossing
4,935,518,500 Rials/ 616,939 USD
76
out of the total box-office sale of
57,400,000,000Rials/ 7,175,000
USD for all Iranian films of the year.
In 2006, Ceasfire (Atash bas/Tah-
mineh Milani) sold 10,100,000,000
Rials/ 1,262,500 USD and became
the best selling film.
In 2007,Ekhrajiha(Masoud Dehna-
maki) sold 16,000,000,000Rials/
2,000,000USD and became the
best selling film.
 Film
Production

C H A P T E R
&
Distribution
Companies
 CHAPTER

Film
Production
&
Distribution
Companies

8th Art Institute

Manager: Amir Zam
Company Profile: Home video distributor
Phone Number: +98 21 44047100

79
Manager: Jahangir Kosari
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 22001349
E-mail: jkosari@yahoo.com

Abbandad Film
Manager: Kianoush Ayari
Company Profile: Production movies and Advertisements
Phone Number: +98 21 88737626
E-mail: abandadfilm@yahoo.com

Abgoun
Manager: Ali-Akbar Saghafi
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 77602047

AIDP

78
Manager: Morteza Razzagh Karimi
Company Profile: Documentery Producer
Phone Number: +98 21 88312901
Website: www.irandoc.org
 CHAPTER
Afagh Film
Manager: Amir-Hussein Sharifi
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 22229840
Website: www.afaghfilm.com Film
Production
Aftabnegaran
&
Distribution
Manager: Mohammad-Reza Takhtkeshian Companies
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88849801-6
E-mail: aftabnegaran@yahoo.com

Agahan Tasvir
Manager: Mehdi Badeleh
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 22871001-3
E-mail: agahantasvir@yahoo.com

Alalia Film
Manager: Nasser Shafagh
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88689184

Amayesh Honar
Manager: Mohammad-Reza Mofidi
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 26210652-54
Website: www.amayeshhonar.com

Aria Sanat Takhayol (LTD)

Manager: Kianoush and Kurosh Dalvand
Company Profile: Animation and Special Effect Producer
Phone Number: +98 6625301319
Website: www.airananima.com

Alian Shiveh
Manager: Mohammad-Ali Pirouzmand and Esmail Araavand
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88364685
Website: www.alianshiveh.com Iranian
cinema
79
 CHAPTER
Asr-e Entezar
Manager: Habibollah Kasesaz
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 66420995
Film
Production Aviny Cultural Institute
&
Distribution Manager: Ali Soltani
Companies Company Profile: Feature Film, Documentary and TV Series Producer
Phone Number: +98 21 88572134
Website: www.avinyfilm.net

Azersam Film
Manager: Ramin Mohseni
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88828371
Website: www.azersamfilms.com

Arman Film
Manager: Ali-Akbar Erfani
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88987125

Aryan Film
Manager: Yadollah Shahidi
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88811920

Ayat Film
Manager: Mohammad Dormanesh
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88838513

Association of Revolution and Sacred Defense Cinema

Manager: Mohammad-Reza Sharafeddin
Company Profile: Supporting War and Revolution Films
Phone Number: +98 21 88809528

80
 CHAPTER
Bamdad Media International
Manager: Mohammad Reza Safiri
Company Profile: Distributor and Film Producer and Co-Producer
Phone Number: +98 912 4274798
Website: www.safiri.ws Film
Production
Baran Film
&
Distribution
Manager: Amir-Abbas Gardan Companies
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88448917-18-41

Bamdad Film
Manager: Manizheh Hekmat
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88309538/88318827

Barg-e Sabz Institute

Manager: Seyyed Mohsen Tabatabaipour
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88828101
Website: www.glir-docfilm.com

Borna Tasvir Cinema Cooperation

Manager: Mohammad Husseinpour
Company Profile: Production Television and Documentary Films
Phone Number: +98 21 66499591
Email: bornatasvir@yahoo.com

Boshra
Manager: Seyyed Jamal Sadatian
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88785220

Bonyad Cinema Affairs Institute

Manager: Alireza Sarbakhsh
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88638933

Iranian
cinema
81
 CHAPTER
Baharan Institute
Manager: Akbar Sadeghi
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88320038
Film
Production Behnegar
&
Distribution Manager: Seyyed Ahmad Musa-Zadeh
Companies Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 22612527-28
Website: www.behnegar.com

Bita Film Tehran

Manager: Ali Atshani
Company Profile: Documentary and Feature Film Production
Phone Number: +98 21 66940396
Website: www.bitafilm.com

Center for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults

(Kanoon)
Manager: Mohsen Chiniforoushan
Company Profile: Publishing Books, Producing Feature and Short Films
and Animation
Phone Number: +98 21 88971371
E-mail: intl_affairs@jamejam.net

Century 21 VMC
Manager: Mohammad-Mehdi Jafari
Company Profile: Distribution, Production, Dubbing
Phone Number: +98 21 88319044/ 45/ 46
Website: www.century21vmc.com

Chashm-e Sevom
Manager: Ghasem Gholipour
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 44204219
E-mail: gh_thirdeye@kanoon.net

Chehre Azad

82
Manager: Jamshid Shah-Mohammadi
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 22088824
 CHAPTER
Cinema 7 Video Entertainment Institute
Manager: Mehdi Ebrahimi
Company Profile: Purchasing Iranian and Foreign Film for Home Video
Phone Number: +98 21 22540352
Website: www.cinema7ir.com Film
Production
CMI (Cima Media International )
&
Distribution
Manager: Mohammad Reza Abbasian Companies
Company Profile: Marketing Iranian TV Productions in International
Atmosphere, Introducing Foreign Companies to Iran
TV channels
Phone Number: +98 21 22548032
Website: www.cmi.ir

Ciball Honar
Manager: Fo’ad Afraavi
Company Profile: Film and Series Production, Multi Media Production
Phone Number: +98 21 22210026
Website: www.ciball.com

Ciran Film
Manager: Hamid Etebarian
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 22229491

Cima Film Center

Manager: Hassan Eslami Mehr
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 22237695
Website: www.irib.ir/cima.film

Dadgoo
Manager: Mohammad Mahdi Dadgoo
Company Profile: International Production and Distribution of Audio
& Visual Products
Phone Number: +98 2188714221

Davood Rashidi
Manager: Davoud Rashidi
Company Profile: Production Iranian
Phone Number: +98 21 88511088 cinema
83
 CHAPTER
DEFC (Documentary and Experimental Film Center )
Manager: Mohammad Afarideh
Company Profile: Fiction, Documentary, Animation and Experimental
Films Producer and Distributer.
Film Phone Number: +98 21 88511242
Production Website: www.defc.ir
&
Distribution
Companies Dega Film
Manager: Morteza Razzagh Karimi
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88752575

Didgah
Manager: Mohsen Shayanfar
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 66594542

Eshraghi Animation CO.

Manager: Mehdi Khorushi
Company Profile: Short, Feature Animation and TV Series, Short and
Feature Fiction Film and Ddocumentary
Phone Number: +98 451 3361769
Website: www.animaeshragh.com

Fajr Cinematic Organization

Manager: Abdulreza Sa’atchi Fard
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88825650
Website: www.fci.iran.com

Faradis Barin
Manager: Manouchehr Mohammadi
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88307732

Fanous-e Khial Network

Manager: Arash Mohammad Nezhad
Company Profile: Production and Distribution

84
Phone Number: +98 21 88368947
 CHAPTER

Farabi Cinema Foundation (International Affairs)

Manager: Amir Esfandiari
Company Profile: All aspects of Cinema Industry
Phone Number: +98 21 22734939 Film
Website: www.fcf.ir Production
&
Distribution
Farabi Cinema Foundation (Publishing Division) Companies
Manager: Dariush Nowrouzi
Company Profile: Publishing and Distribution, Books
Phone Number: +98 21 33932130
Website: www.fcf.ir

Farhat Film
Manager: Omid Khoshnazar
Company Profile: Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88308665
Website: www.iranfilmseller.com

Filmiran
Manager: Ali Sartipi
Company Profile: Distribution
Website: www.filmiranco.ir

Fanous-e Khial
Manager: Gholamreza Azadi
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88888985

Farhang-e Tamasha
Manager: Taghi Aligholizade
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 22884083-8

Farhang Film Kavir

Manager: Alireza Etemadi
Company Profile: Short and TV Film Production
Phone Number: +98 362 2722255 / 2728090
Iranian
cinema
85
 CHAPTER
Filmara
Manager: Mehdi Vedadi
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88965839
Film E-mail: Filmara_co@yahoo.com
Production
&
Distribution Filmnour
Companies Manager: Fo’ad Nour
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 55396389

Gol Film
Manager: Hamid Reza Ashtianipour
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88801976

Gouya Film
Manager: Mohammad Ghazi
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88828442

House of Art and Literature for Children and Young Adults

Manager: Freshte Taerpour
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 77537685
Website: www.taerpour@yahoo.com

Hedayat Film
Manager: Morteza and Mustafa Shayesteh
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88727188-9
Website: www.hedayatfilm.com

Haft Orang
Manager: Fereydun Vahmian
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88792533
Hedyeh Film

86
Manager: Mohammad Neshat
Company Profile: Film, Series and Video Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88971211
 CHAPTER
Honar-e Haftom
Manager: Karim Atashi
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 77503797
Film
Hilaj Production
&
Manager: Amir-Shahab and Seyyed Saeed Razavian Distribution
Company Profile: Production Companies
Phone Number: +98 21 88518515
Website: www.hilaj.com

Ima Film
Manager: Hussein Zandbaf
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88327013-17

Ima Film Art and Culture Institute

Manager: Ali Mohammadzadeh
Company Profile: Documentaries Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88423457-8

Iranian Independents
Manager: Mohammad Atebbai
Company Profile: Promotion and marketing Iranian independent short,
documentary and feature films, Fund-raising for
Iranian projects and local services for international
projects in Iran.
Phone Number: +98 912 3198693
Website: www.iranianindependents.com

Iranian Source for Art and Culture

Manager: Mohammad-Ali Zam
Company Profile: Distributer, Buyer and Seller in Home Video Field
Phone Number: +98 21 66422939
E-mail: irhomecinema@yahoo.com

Iranian Young Cinema Society

Manager: Nasser Bakideh
Company Profile: Short Film Producer, Training Center
Phone Number: +98 21 88773114 Iranian
Website: www.iycs.ir cinema
87
 CHAPTER
IRIB PAC
IRIB Program Acquisition Center
Manager: Ali-Asghar Gholamrezai
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Film Phone Number: +98 21 22024910
Production E-mail: pac-acquistion@irib.ir
&
Distribution
Companies Jozan Film
Manager: Masoud and Fathollah Jaffari Jozani
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88837271

Khane Sinamagaran Javan

Manager: Pouyan Shahrokhi
Company Profile: Feature, Educational, Documentary and TV Series
Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88738076

Khat-o-Moj
Manager: Alireza and Reza Daoudnezhad
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88768968

Kargah-e Film Andisheh

Manager: Seyyed Mohsen Vaziri
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88419126

Karan Film
Manager: Behrouz Rashad
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88418188
Website: www.karanfilm.com

Kelk-e-Khial
Manager: Mitra Mansouri
Company Profile: Film and Animation Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88782953-5

88
E-mail: kelk@kelk-e-khial.com
 CHAPTER
Laleh Barg
Manager: Gholamhussein Bolourian
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88312850-1
E-mail: lalehbarg@yahoo.com Film
Production
&
Loh-e Zarrin Distribution
Manager: Arman Zarrinkoub Companies
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88810784

Life Media International

Manager: Marjan Alizadeh
Company Profile: Promotion and Distribution Feature, Documentary
and Short Films
Phone Number: +98 21 22067131
E-mail: life-media@neda.net

Mahed Media International

Manager: Seyyed Ahmad Mir-Alai
Company Profile: Distribution, Producing Short and Documentary Films
and TV Series.
Phone Number: +98 21 88912184
Website: www.mahedfilm.com

Misagh Cultural Center

Manager: Mohsen Mir-Momeni
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +9821 77520188
website: www.misagh.net

Mobin Film
Manager: Seyyed Kamal Tabatabai
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88826641

Mej Film
Manager: Bahman Ghobadi
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88886072 Iranian
Website: www.mejfilm.com cinema
89
 CHAPTER
Mehr Faraz
Manager: Dariush Mehrjui and Faramarz Farazmand
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88758708
Film E-mail: mehrjui@yahoo.com
Production
&
Distribution Milad Film Institute
Companies Manager: Rasul Sadr-e Ameli
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88846777
Website: www.miladfilm.com

Mina Film
Manager: Seyyad Mohammad-Reza Aalipayam
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88779314

Nahid Film
Manager: Hojatollah Seyfi
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88836988

Naghsh-e Aftab-e Shargh

Manager: Amir Samavati
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 22901915-20

Naghsh-e Jahan
Manager: Rasul Tavakoli
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88823880
E-mail: naghshejahanco@yahoo.com

Negin-e Shahr Film

Manager: Jalal Ghezel Ayagh
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88968181

90
 CHAPTER
Namayesh Film
Manager: Habibollah Sahranavard
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88518703
E-mail: namayesh.film.co@msn.com Film
Production
&
Namayeshgaran Distribution
Manager: Seyyed Nasser Sha’bani Companies
Company Profile: Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88307586-7

Novin Film
Manager: Ali Rajab-Ali
Company Profile: Distribution
Phone Number: +98 912 1032003
Website: www.novinfilm.com

Niosha Film
Manager: Mohsen Goudarzi
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88730814
Website: www.nioshafilm.i8.com

Neshane Corporation
Manager: Iraj Taghipour
Company Profile: Production of Movies and TV Series
Phone Number: +98 21 88300222
Website: www.neshane.com

Nikan Film Media

Manager: Bizhan Emkanian
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88812121

Omid Fil m
Manager: Sirous Taslimi
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 229220200
E-mail: ytaslimi@yahoo.com Iranian
cinema
91
 CHAPTER
Pars Video CO.
Manager: Mahmoud Soltani
Company Profile: Supplying, Multiplying and Distributing
Phone Number: +98 21 8851979-80
Film Website: www.parsvideotehran.com
Production
&
Distribution Pasargad Film
Companies Manager: Mehran Taeedi
Company Profile: Film, Advertisement and Animated Films
Phone Number: +98 21 88052948

Pakhshiran
Manager: Haroun Yashayai
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88824057

Pejman Film
Manager: Alireza Jalali
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88001291
E-mail: pejman-film@yahoo.com

Panjere Abi
Manager: Mohammad-Ali Talebi
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 22938839
E-mail: bwf_talebi@yahoo.com

Pendar Film
Manager: Jafar Abdipour
Company Profile: Short, Documentary, Educational, Industrial, Advertising,
Animated Film Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88748540
Website: www.pendarfilm.com

Pouya Asr Film

Manager: Abdollah Alikhani
Company Profile: Production and Distribution

92
Phone Number: +98 21 66703574
 CHAPTER
Payam-e Roshan Film
Manager: Mansour Mazniani
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 66712975
Film
Peyman Nour Production
&
Manager: Ali Ardestani Distribution
Company Profile: Production Companies
Phone Number: +98 21 77505536

Picture World
Manager: Ali Moalem
Company Profile: Magazine, Production
Phone Number: +98 21 22885400
Website: www.donyayetassvir.com

Press TV
Manager: Mohammad Sarafraz
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 22064712-13-14
Website: www.presstv.ir

Rasaneh Fard Animation Production CO.

Manager: Nader Yaghmaian
Company Profile: Animation Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88261467
Website: www.rfanimation.com

Rah-e Shiri Cinema Company

Manager: Ali Vajed-Sami’i
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88699344

Rah-e Erfan
Manager: Mohsen Mosaferchi
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 66963346

Iranian
cinema
93
 CHAPTER
Saba Center
Manager: Maghsoud Naimizaker
Company Profile: Animation Production, Co-Production.
Phone Number: +98 21 22000596
Film Website: www.sabaanima.com
Production
&
Distribution Sahra Film
Companies Manager: Majid Modarresi
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88765392
Website: www.sahrafilm.org

Sepas Film
Manager: Mansour Heydari
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 77882596

Sepahan Film
Manager: Mohammad Banki
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 66703047

Sepand Film
Manager: khosrow Shojai, Majid Motallebi
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88775456

Sanaadel
Manager: Mahmoud Heydarian
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88977123

Simavid
Manager: Omid Najibzadeh
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88409037
E-mail: simavidfilm@yahoo.com

94
 CHAPTER
Sima-ye Mahaan Cooperation
Manager: Hassan Enayati
Company Profile: Feature Film, Documentary, Advertising, Animated
and Educational Film Production
Phone Number: +98 251 6611616 Film
Website: www.simayemahan.com Production
&
Distribution
Simiagar Companies
Manager: Mohammad-Sadegh Jalali
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88795990

Sina Film
Manager: Manouchehr Asgari Nassab
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88832393

Shahrzad Media
Manager: Ghasem Jafari
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88952828
Website: www.shahrzadfilm.com

Shekufa Film
Manager: Dariush Babaian
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 66416939
Website: www.shekufafilm.com

Sobhan Cinematic Cooperation

Manager: Saeed Hajimiri
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 66415098
E-mail: info@sobhanfilm.org

Silver Screen
Manager: Hajjat Hatam
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 66403265
Website: www.silverscreen.ir Iranian
cinema
95
 CHAPTER
SMC (Soroush Multimedia Corporation)
Manager: Mohammad Pishgahi-Fard
Company Profile: Exhibitor
Phone Number: +98 21 22054602
Film Website: www.soroush-media.tv / www.soroush.ir
Production
&
Distribution Soureh Cinema Organization
Companies Manager: Seyyed Hossein Haghgoo
Company Profile: Acquisition, Sales, Production and Distribution of
short and Feature Films
Phone Number: +98 21 88897636
Website: www.sourehcinema.com

Tash Center
Manager: M.R.Mohammadi
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 22016988
Website: www.tasgcenter.com

Tebyan Film
Manager: Farajollah Salahshour
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88327013-17
Website: www.tebyanfilm@hotmail.com

Tasvir-e Sahne
Manager: Mohammad Hossein Jafari
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 66497961
Website: www.Hosseinjafari.com

Tasvir Gostar Pishro

Manager: Mehdi Ashkiani
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88553590
E-mail: tasvirgostarpishro@hotmail.com

Tasvir Novinfar

96
Manager: Houshang Nourollahi
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 66412644
 CHAPTER
Tamashageh-e Raz
Manager: Seyyed Yousef Monajati
Company Profile: TV program, Advertising and Music Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88053300
Website: www.tamashagaheraz.com Film
Production
Tirazheh Film
&
Distribution
Manager: Ahmad Taghavi Pouya Companies
Company Profile: Advertising Design and Production, Documentary
and Fiction Film Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88770584/ 88770294
Website: www.tirazhehfilm.com

Tasvire Donyaye Honar

Manager: Sirous Zolfagharian
Company Profile: Production, Distribution, Duplication
Phone Number: +98 21 88280088
Website: www.tdhfilm.com

Tarh va Tose’e San’at-e Film Tehran

Manager: Mahshid Afsharzadeh
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88212501-2

Tolou Film
Manager: Mohsen Ostad Ali Makhmalbaf and Vahid Sedaghat
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 88938641

Touba Film
Manager: Ruhollah Baradari
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 22024445

Union of Home Video Distributor and Producer Companies

Manager: Hassan Daha
Company Profile: Programming, Buying, Selling and Showing the Foreign
and Iranian Films
Phone Number: +98 21 88288426
E-mail: irhomecinema@yahoo.com Iranian
cinema
97
 CHAPTER
Vasf-e Saba Institute
Manager: Mohammad-Reza Shafi’i
Company Profile: Short Film, Video and Series Production
Phone Number: +98 21 77567679
Film
Production
&
Distribution Visual Arts Institute
Companies Manager: Mojtaba Shahsavand
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 22040811
Website: www.sourehcinema.com

Yekta Film
Manager: Hassan Tavakolnia
Company Profile: Production and Distribution
Phone Number: +98 21 22883095-6

Zharfa Film
Manager: Ahmadreza Garshasbi
Company Profile: Production
Phone Number: +98 21 88065422

98
Studios
&
C H A P T E R
Cinematic
Office
 CHAPTER

Studios
&
Cinematic
Office

Afagh
Manager: Amir-Hussein Sharifi
Company Profile: Sound and Digital Editing
Phone Number: +98 21 2222984
Website: www.afaghfilm.com

Aftab-e Alamtab
Manager: Amir Samavati
Company Profile: Music Recording, TV and Movie Production ,
Addvertising
Phone Number: +98 21 88427737

Art Bureau of the Islamic Propagation Organization

Manager: Mohammad-Reza Mohammadi
Company Profile: Sound and Cinematic Equipments Accessories and-
Costume
Phone Number: +98 21 88963360
E-mail: shtibani@sourehcinema.com

Ava Resana Film Studio

Manager: Kamran Mizani
Company Profile: Dubbing, Subtitle
Phone Number: +98 21 22042774

100
 CHAPTER
Ava-ye Parsi
Manager: Masoud Baghai
Company Profile: Music Recording, Dubbing, Narration, Multimedia
Phone Number: +98 21 66716641
Website: www.parsmelody.com Studios
&
Ayat Film Cinematic
Manager: Mohammad Dormanesh Office
Company Profile: Technical Support
Phone Number: +98 21 88838513

Ahang-e Baharan
Manager: Mohammad Haghighi
Company Profile: Dubbing, Editing, Mix Surround
Phone Number: +98 21 88606477

Alian Shiveh
Manager: Mohammad-Ali Pirouzmand and Esmail Aaraavand
Company Profile: Special Effect, Title, Subtitle, Editing,
Digital Sound
Phone Number: +98 21 88364685
Website: www.alianshiveh.com

Andisheh
Manager: Nazanin Mofakham
Company Profile: Editing and Dubbing
Phone Number: +98 21 88408233

Badi Studio (Iran Film Industry Servic Center)

Manager: Amir Badi and Keyhan Khosravani
Company Profile: Printing lab, Editing
Phone Number: +98 21 88826068

Bahman Studio
Manager: Massoud Behnam
Company Profile: Dubbing, Mix, Preparing films for Dolby Digital
mix, Editing
Phone Number: +98 21 77521312
E-mail: info@bahmanstudio.com
Iranian
cinema
101
 CHAPTER
Bell
Manager: Mohammad-Ali Chavoushi
Company Profile: Music Recording, Editing, Dubbing
Phone Number: +98 21 88900894
Studios Website: www.bellstudiomeshkat.com
&
Cinematic Bita Film Tehran
Office Manager: Ali Atshani
Company Profile: Dubbing, Subtitle, Editing
Phone Number: +98 21 66921909
Website: www.bitafilm.com

Central Studio
Manager: Faramarz Kaveh
Company Profile: Editing, Dolby Surround, Special Effect Design, Subtitle
Phone Number: +98 21 66713222

Ciball Honar
Manager: Fo’ad Afravi
Company Profile: Editing, Digital Dubbing, Subtitle,
Narration, Music Recording
Phone Number: +98 21 22210026
Website: www.ciball.com

Cima Film Studio

Manager: Nasser Karimian
Company Profile: Dubbing, Editing
Phone Number: +98 21 22763010

Farhang film Kavir

Manager: Ali-Reza Etemadi
Company Profile: Mix, Editing, Sound
Phone Number: +98 362 2722255 / 2728090

Farhat Film Studio

Manager: Mohammad Fijani
Company Profile: Film Recorder System, Digital Editing, Special Effect
Phone Number: +98 21 88342145

102
 CHAPTER
Filmsaz Studio
Manager: Bizhan Jabbari, Nasser Anssari
Company Profile: Printing lab, Editing
Phone Number: +98 21 88309431
E-mail: filmsaz@parsonline.net Studios
&
Firouz film Studio Cinematic
Manager: Sattar Dadash Pourharis Office
Company Profile: Mix, Editing, Sound
Phone Number: +98 21 77607035

Forugh Cinematic Media

Manager: Mohammad-Reza Moini, Parviz Abnar,
Behrouz Moavenian, Asghar Shahverdi, Nasrin Kazemi
Company Profile: Editing, Dubbing, Mix
Phone Number: +98 21 44413106

Ghadr Media Film Company

Manager: Roham Ranji
Company Profile: Editing, Equipments
Phone Number: +98 261 2241094

Honar Nama-ye Parsian Institute

Manager: Mohammd Saeed Ghaeni Nadjafi
Company Profile: Mix, Editing, Sound
Phone Number: +98 21 88211570

IRIB Laboratory
Manager: Mehrdad Agha-Mohamadi
Company Profile: Printing Lab
Phone Number: +98 21 22162404
E-mail: aghamohamadi@irib.com

Jurak Studio
Manager: Mehrdad Jurak
Company Profile: Editing, Dubbing, Equipments, Lighting
Phone Number: +98 21 66718428

Iranian
cinema
103
 CHAPTER
Kanoon Studio (Affiliated of children and the youth cogitative training center)
Manager: Changiz Sayyad
Company Profile: Dubbing, Editing
Phone Number: +98 21 88826207
Studios Website: www.kanoonparvaresh.com
&
Cinematic Khane Sinamagarn Javan
Office Manager: Pouyan Shahrokhi
Company Profile: Dubbing, mix, Mastering, Editing, Camera, Lighting
Phone Number: +98 21 88738076

Kelk-e-Khial
Manager: Mitra Mansouri
Company Profile: Editing, Equipments
PhoneNumber: +98 21 88782953-5
E-mail: kelk@kelk-e-khial.com

Mandegar
Manager: Amir Rezai
Company Profile: Camera, Dubbing, Editing
Phone Number: +98 21 77511133

Mosallas-e Zard
Manager: Sepehr Sobhanfar
Company Profile: Digital camera, Dubbing, Lighting,
Editing, Subtitle, Multimedia
Phone Number: +98 21 88523631

Mina Film
Manager: Seyyad Mohammad-Reza Aali Payam
Company Profile: Editing, Camera, Lighting
Phone Number: +98 21 88779314

Ministry of Islamic Culture and Islamic Guidance Studio

Manager: Amir Toussi
Company Profile: Dubbing Editing, Printing lab
Phone Number: +98 21 38512365

104
 CHAPTER
Mahan
Manager: Hassan Enayati
Company Profile: Editing
Phone Number: +98 251 6611616
Website: www.simayemahan.com Studios
&
Mehr Faraz Cinematic
Manager: Dariush Mehrjui, Faramarz Farazmand Office
Company Profile: Dubbing, Editing
Phone Number: +98 21 88758708
www. mehrjui@yahoo.com

Noufeh Company
Manager: Nader Rezaee
Company Profile: Dubbing, Camera, Lighting
Phone Number: +98 21 88511116

Niosha Film
Manager: Mohsen Goudarzi
Company Profile: Digital Editing, Lighting, Dubbing
Phone Number: +98 21 88730814
Website: www.nioshafilm.i8.com

Orouj Film Studio

Manager: Mahdi Organi
Company Profile: Editing, Dubbing
Phone Number: +98 21 22708414

Pop
Manager: Nasser Farhoudi
Company Profile: Music Recording
Phone Number: +98 21 88907174

Pasargad Film
Manager: Mehran Taeedi
Company Profile: Camera, Dubbing, Editing
Phone Number: +98 21 88052948

Iranian
cinema
105
 CHAPTER
Pezhvak
Manager: Fathali Roshan
Company Profile: Music Recording; Analog & Digital
Phone Number: +98 21 88897543
Studios
& Peyman-e Nour
Cinematic Manager: Ali Ardestani
Office Company Profile: Music Recording, Narration, Dubbing, Editing
Phone Number: +98 21 77505536

Pouya Media
Manager: Jafar Fatemi
Company Profile: Editing, Dubbing, Mix Surround, Subtitle
Phone Number: +98 21 88011818
Website: www.ad-iran.com

Rock Film
Manager: Saeed Kashefi
Company Profile: Dubbing, Mix, Digital Music Recording
Phone Number: +98 21 77534722-6
Website: www.rock-film.com

Shahrzad Media
Manager: Ghasem Jafari
Company Profile: Editing, Sound
Phone Number: +98 21 88952828
Website: www.shahrzadfilm.com

Roud Film
Manager: Ali Mosaffa, Safi Yazdanian, Fardin Sahebozamani
Company Profile: Editing, Dubbing, Subtitle
Phone Number: +98 21 88839135

Roshana Studio
Manager: Amir-Hussein Saharkhiz
Company Profile: Editting
Phone Number: +98 21 88502296-7
Website: www.roshana.com

106
 CHAPTER
Sobhan Studio
Manager: Mahdi Khosrowjerdi
Company Profile: Editing, Music Recording, Dubbing
Phone Number: +98 21 66415098
E-mail: info@sobhanfilm.org Studios
&
Sepand Film Studio Cinematic
Manager: Khosrow Shojaee and Majid Motallebi Office
Company Profile: Editing, Recording Subtitle, Special Effects
Phone Number +98 21 88775456
Website: www.sepandfilm.com

Sina Film
Manager: Manouchehr Asgari Nassab
Company Profile: Dubbing, Editing, Camera
Phone Number: +98 21 88832393

Saba
Manager: Ghasem Abedini
Company Profile: Music Recording
Phone Number: +98 21 88909887

Sound Film
Manager: Mohammad Mustafazade
Company Profile: Editing, Dubbing
Phone Number: +98 21 88909887

Soureh Visual Arts Institute

Manager: Mojtaba Shahsavand
Company Profile: Editing, Music Recording, Dubbing, Subtitle,
Phone Number: +98 21 22040811
Website: www.sourehcinema.com

Tarannom-e Ney Studio

Manager: Majid Ghanbari
Company Profile: Music Recording, Editing, Dubbing
Phone Number: +98 21 88317055

Tolou Film
Manager: Mohsen Ostad Ali Makhmalbaf, Vahid Sedaghat Iranian
Company Profile: Editing, Dubbing cinema
Phone Number: +98 21 88938641 107
 CHAPTER
Tak Film Pars
Manager: Mohammad Sammak Bashi
Company Profile: Dubbing, Mix, Editing
Phone Number: +98 21 22377708
Studios
& Tasvir Gostar Pishro
Cinematic Manager: Mehdi Ashkiani
Office Company Profile: Editing, Lighting
Phone Number: +98 21 88553590
Website: www.tasvirgostarpishro@gmail.com

Tamashagah-e Raz
Manager: Seyyed Yousef Monajati
Company Profile: Dubbing, Editing
Phone Number: +98 21 88048843
Website: www.tamashagaheraz.com

Tirazhe Film
Manager: Ahmad Taghavai Pouya
Company Profile: Editing, Mix
Phone Number: +98 21 88770584
Website: www.tirazhehfilm.com

Zharfa Film
Manager: Ahmad-Reza Garshasbi
Company Profile: Dubbing and Editing
Phone Number: +98 21 88065422

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 Film
Periodicals/
Press
C H A P T E R
& Cinematic
Websites
 CHAPTER

Film
Periodicals/
Press
& Cinematic
Websites

● Film Periodicals / Press:

Bonni Film (Bani film/Daily)
Established 2003
Publisher: Massoud Davoudi
Manager: Massoud Davoudi
Editor in Chief: Mir Jalil Seyyed Majidi
Website: www.bonniefilmdaily.com
Cinema (Sinama/Weekly)
Established 1992
Publisher: Hussein Vakhshouri
Manager: Hossein Vakhshoori
Editor in chief: Seyyed Gholam-Reza Mousavi, Freidoun Jeirani
Email: iraniancinema@yahoo.com
Cinema Theater (Sinama Theater/Monthly)
Established 1993
Publisher: Hussein Farrokhi
Manager: Hussein Farrokhi
Editor in Chief: Ali Sarhangi, Mahdi Sharafeddini, Hussein Farrokhi
Email: Farrokhi.cinematheatre@yahoo.com
Cinema Industry (Sanate Sinama/Monthly)
Established 2002
Publisher: Shahram Jafarinejad
Manager: Shahram Jafarinejad
Editor in Chief: Shahram Jafarinejad
Website: www.ci-mag.net
Cinema & Literature (Sinama va Adabiat /Quarterly)

110
Established 1995
Publisher: Homayoun Khosravi Dehkordi
Website: www.cinemavaadabiat.com
 CHAPTER
Cinema Backstage (Poshte Sahne Sinama/Weekly)
Establishd 2001
Publisher: Majid Khodayar Ghaghani
Email: Ps.cinema@gmail.com
Cinema Backstage (Poshte Sahne Sinama/Weekly) Film
Periodicals/
Established
Publisher:
1987
Niloufar Zafar Ardalan
Press
& Cinematic
Email: Posht_e_sahneh@yahoo.com Websites
Cinema Pooya (Sinamaye Pooya/Monthly)
Established 2007
Publisher: Mohammad reza Babagoli
Website: www.cinemapooya.com
Cinema Video (Sinama Video/Monthly)
Established 1994
Publisher: Abolghasem Talebi
Email: mttsoft@gmail.com
Today Cinema (Sinamaye Rooz/Monthly)
Established 1962
Publisher: Parviz Samadi Moghaddam
Email: cinemayerooz@yahoo.com
Family Cinema (Sinamaye Khanevadeh/Monthly)
Established 2005
Publisher: Zahra Amiri
Phone Number: +98 21 22415726-36
Farabi (Farabi/Quarterly)
Established 1988
Publisher: Farabi Cinema Foundation
Manager: Alireza Rezadad
Editor in chief: Mahmoud Arjmand, Dariush Nowrouzi
Culture & Cinema (Farhang va Cinema/ mounthly)
Established 1989
Publisher: Parviz Samadi Moghaddam
Email: Farhangvacinema@mail.com
Filmnegar (Monthly)
Established 2002
Publisher: Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance for
Cinematic Affair
Manager: Nosratollah Tabesh
Deputy manager: Nosratollah Tabesh
Editor in chief: Keivan Kasirian Iranian
Website: www.filmnegar.ir cinema
111
 CHAPTER
Film (Monthly)
Established 1982
Publisher: Massoud Mehrabi
Manager: Abbas Yaari
Film Editor in chief: Houshang Golmakani
Periodicals/
Press Email: info@film-magazine.com
& Cinematic Film International (Quarterly)
Websites Established 1993
Publisher: Massoud Mehrabi
Editor in cheif: Houshang Golmakani
Phone number: +98 21 66709373
Email: filmmag@apadana.com
Film & Cinema (Filmo Sinama/Monthly)
Established 1992
Publisher: Amir Saeed Naghizadeh Sahi
Editor in chief: Sam Pakzamir
Phone number: +98 21 66917506
Peel Ban (Monthly)
Established 2002
Publisher: Amir Massoud Alamdari
Manager: Mehrdad Alamdari
Editor in chief: Ahmmad Ka’abi Fallahi
Website: www.philpan.com
Picture World (Donyaye Tassvir/Monthly)
Established 1992
Publisher: Ali Moalem
Manager: Ali Moalem
Editor in chief: Ali Moalem
Website: www.donyayetassvir.com

Cinematic Websites:
www.Iranactor.com
www.iranfestivals.com
www.idba.ir (Iran Animation Bank)
www.bonniefilmdaily.com (Bonni film Daily website)
www.iranao.com (Iran Artists Organization website)
www.cinema-theatre.com
www.shortfilmnews.com

112
www.peykemostanad.com
www.cinemaema.com
www.courehcinema.com
www.30nema.com