Ten countries willing to produce joint films with Iran: Khazaei
Filmmakers from 10 countries, including Russia, Lebanon, China, Uzbekistan, India, Greece, Pakistan, Armenia, South Korea, and Turkey, have expressed their willingness to collaborate with Iran in joint cinematic productions, according to Mohammad Khazaei, CEO of Cinema Organization of Iran.
This announcement was made during the Press Conference on Regional Cinematic Authorities at the 42nd Fajr International Film Festival in Tehran,
fajriff.com reported.
Khazaei highlighted that these filmmakers have formally requested cooperation with Iran in the field of joint movie production. Last year, Iran has collaborated with various countries on 23 jointly made films.
The professional cinematic facilities of Ghazali Cinema Town, Noor Cinema Town, and Holy Defense Cinema Town are suitable locations for future collaborative projects, he added.
During the conference, Khazaei expressed hope for the execution of the recently-signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the FIFF in the near future. Representatives from Turkey, Russia, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan were also present at the event.
The press conference included suggestions for expanding collaboration further, with Kemal Usal from Turkey proposing that Iran and Turkey screen jointly produced films in both countries. The international agreements were seen as laying the groundwork for such collaborations, providing opportunities for productions with substantial budgets.
Participants from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, namely Mohammad Said Shohiyon and Akzhol Bekbolotov, expressed positive sentiments towards Iranian cinema.
Shohiyon mentioned the hope and positivity conveyed by Iranian movies, while Bekbolotov shared ongoing efforts to formalize a cooperation document between Kyrgyzstan and Iran.
In addition, the achievements of the meeting of regional cinema heads in Tehran were discussed. Representatives from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkey participated.
The session outlined six key points for expanding multilateral cooperation in areas such as joint productions, facilitating screenings in regional countries, establishing a regional support fund for cinema professionals, promoting technological development, enhancing educational and research collaborations, and providing special support for regional works in festivals.
These developments signal a growing interest and commitment among multiple countries to foster collaborative cinematic events with Iran, aiming to bridge cultural gaps and promote shared storytelling on the global stage.