Iran reinstates standalone Fajr Int’l Film Festival after two-year pause
Iran’s Cinema Organization appointed Rouhollah Hosseini as director of the revived Fajr International Film Festival, set to take place in early December, the Farabi Cinema Foundation said.
The decision marks the formal return of the international section as a separate event after a two-year merger with the national festival. The change reverses a 2021 move by the then-management to consolidate both segments, a shift that risked the festival’s standing with FIAPF, the International Federation of Film Producers Associations, ISNA wrote.
The upcoming edition—likely the 39th—faces a tight deadline. With fewer than four months to go, organizers are racing against the clock. No venue has been finalized.
Although Charsou Cineplex previously hosted the event, its role remains unclear due to recent renovations. Mellat Cineplex is under consideration, but no official decision has been announced.
Hosseini, currently the deputy for supervision and evaluation at the Cinema Organization of Iran, replaces speculation around a well-known actor being tapped for the post. His appointment aims to steady the ship after months of ambiguity surrounding the event's timeline and leadership.
The Fajr International Film Festival ran separately for five years from 2015, under directors Alireza Rezadad, Reza Mirkarimi, and Mohammad Mehdi Asgarpour. It was known for high-caliber foreign selections, restored classics, and professional workshops that drew widespread attention from domestic and international filmmakers.
Critics, however, have questioned the timing of the newly scheduled festival, which will fall in early December—an off-peak slot following the closure of most major international film festivals.
The cinema organization has defended the shift, calling it a “strategic repositioning” to draw greater focus to Iranian cinema.
Several films had already registered under the original call for entries issued earlier this year, and more are expected to apply once the updated call is published “within days.” The Farabi Foundation is reportedly in contact with foreign filmmakers and distributors.
Still, uncertainties linger. Industry insiders have raised concerns over the compressed planning window, limited budget, and the broader regional climate. The lack of clarity over the festival’s name and structure also fuels debate, with questions over whether two separate events under the “Fajr” banner within the same year might confuse audiences and stakeholders.
Despite the hurdles, organizers say the aim is to deliver a festival that lives up to the brand’s legacy and Iran’s cultural ambitions. Whether they can pull it off in time remains to be seen.