Fajr Film Festival spotlights first-time directors in 44th edition
Iran’s flagship Fajr Film Festival has become a showcase for first-time filmmakers and young directors, signaling a generational shift in the country’s cinema, Mehdi Shafiei, Iran’s deputy culture minister for artistic affairs, told state news agency IRNA during a visit to the festival headquarters in Tehran.
Speaking during a visit to the festival headquarters in Tehran, the main venue hosting the 44th edition, Shafiei said the current line-up stands out for the number and caliber of debut features, calling the trend “a strong indicator” for the future of Iranian cinema, IRNA reported.
He said he had watched three to four competition titles so far and judged this year’s program among the strongest of recent editions.
“The quality of first films is striking,” Shafiei said, adding that the visibility granted to emerging directors at Fajr provides a solid pipeline for the national industry. “These talented filmmakers are being seen here. They form a reliable backbone for Iranian cinema, and we will see much more from them in the coming years.”
The annual festival, Iran’s most prominent cinematic event, has long faced criticism over limited access for debut directors. Shafiei acknowledged that many first-time filmmakers had previously been excluded but said this year’s selection marked a decisive change, with young directors enjoying a “prominent presence” and a higher overall standard compared with recent cycles.
He also said the breadth of strong titles across the program underscored renewed momentum in domestic film production, despite persistent financial and regulatory pressures on the sector.
Beyond cinema, Shafiei described the Fajr Film Festival, alongside the Fajr Theater Festival, as one of the region’s most enduring cultural brands after 44 editions, calling its continuity a strategic asset for Iran’s cultural diplomacy.
The 44th National Fajr Film Festival is running from February 1 to 11, features screenings and industry events across Tehran.