Raisi’s gov’t celebrates cultural renaissance
Record-breaking achievements
in performing arts, music
The previous government wrapped up with the untimely, tragic death of president Ebrahim Raisi, but over his three-year tenure, a noticeable growth kicked off in the fields of art and cultural activities.
Three years ago, there were 580 movie theaters up and running in the country. Raisi’s government turned things around by adding another 300 cinemas to the mix. By the end of the Iranian calendar year 1402 (ended March 19, 2024), the number of movie theaters in the country had ramped up to 846. Besides showing a growth rate of over 48% for constructing theatres compared to the previous government, this figure means that the per capita cinema for Iranians has improved to one theater per 104,000 people. When president Raisi took the wheel, the latter figure stood at one theater per 580,000 people.
Breaking box office records
In the first year of Raisi’s government (ended August 3, 2022), film sales racked up a whopping 415 billion Tomans (nearly $9 million) with an audience of 13 million people tuning in. The following year, cinema sales skyrocketed to over 1,240 billion Tomans (over $20.7 million). Keeping up the momentum, Iranian cinema sales clocked in at over 146 billion Tomans (over $2.29 million) in the first month of the Iranian calendar year 1403 (ended April 19, 2024).
Cinematic productions
Under President Raisi’s government, over 180 movie scripts have been greenlit for production. These films showcase a diverse range of genres and talents, with both renowned veterans and up-and-coming filmmakers behind the camera.
Concerts held
Over the last three years, a grand total of 7,000 music concerts have been played in venues in the capital and various cities across the country. The number of concerts in 1401 (ended March 20, 2023) hit 3,913, and the following year, the tally cranked up to 4,970.
Theatrical productions
By July 2022 last year, the count of theatrical productions neared 8,000, and this number ramped up in the months to March that marked the end of the calendar year. Compared to the year before, drama production and performances have shot up by over 30%.