Description
29 April – 1 May 2024
Cinema-ye Azad (Free Cinema) Movement was the only focused and organized cinematic movement in the history of Iranian cinema, active from 1969 to 1979. During their ten years of activity, the filmmakers and members of this movement established the first short film festivals, books, publications, and specialized television programs about short films in Iran. They also taught and made 8mm short films in over 20 active offices across Iran. This movement was founded by Basir Nasibi and his companions, and its prominent figures include Hassan BaniHashemi, Kianoush Ayari, Behnam Jafari, Nasser Gholamrezaei, Mehrdad Tadayon, Homayoun Payvar, Ebrahim Haghighi, Abdollah Bakideh, and many others.
At that time, in 1969, 8mm films were socially perceived as having only a family aspect, meaning they were used for weddings, birthdays, or weekend holidays. Initially, it was about making films, then continuous screenings accompanied by discussions, and also engaging with the press to spread the idea that the film frame does not determine a film’s value. We even had an example we often used, saying: just as a paintbrush plays no role in the value of a painter’s work, the type of camera neither adds nor detracts from a film’s credibility. We also made a jab at ‘Film Farsi’ (Iranian commercial cinema), giving an example of Persian cinema studios that have technical facilities, good cameras, raw film, and laboratories. What Persian cinema lacks is thought and ideas. Of course, the presence and approval of some individuals with social and artistic credibility were not ineffective in establishing this cinema, most notably Fereydoun Rahnema and Nasib Nasibi.
In this program, several members of the Iranian Cinema-ye Azad Movement gathered and, after about 48 years, revived Cinema-ye Azad with a new encounter.
The meetings for this program were held with Mr. Kianoush Ayari, Saeed PourSamimi, Ahmad Amini, Ardeshir Shalileh, and Mr. Nasser Gholamrezaei, all of whom are considered young talents of independent cinema.