Cinematographers hail frankness, simplicity of Iranian films

Cinematographers attending a major Iranian film festival say the country's cinema is one that cannot be simply ignored as it continues to dazzle the audience through its simplicity and frankness.

Directors, actors and producers attending the 30th International Film Festival for Children and Youth in the Iranian city of Isfahan said they relish the way Iranian films communicate with the audience in the simplest way possible.

Kamrul Ahsan Lenin, a director from Bangladesh, said Iranian cinema represented excellence in the genre of truthful filmmaking or what is generally known as cinéma vérité.

“Contemporary Iranian films offer a new film language to the world. It seems to me that the journey of world’s film (industry) which was influenced by cinéma verité got matured in Iranian films,” Lenin said, adding, “The simplicity of the storytelling is the main strength of Iranian movies.”

The director cited a number of films, including Abbas Kiarostami’s Taste of Cherry, as true examples of films with a simple story that feel like real-life experience.

Giovanni Pompili, a film producer from Italy, called the Iranian cinema a "milestone" in the history of film-making, saying that Iran has gone through a very rich and successful tradition of film production over the past 100 years.

“Iranian cinema has always been a milestone in the story of cinema, from the first wave to the last success,” Pompili said, adding, “I love how directors like Kiarostami worked with children to reflect and explore the complexity of the world.”

Russian director Yury Solodov said he was really impressed by even the very few number of Iranian films he has watched.

“I saw only three Iranian films ... They left a strong impression on me (so) that I intend to continue my acquaintance with the Iranian cinema,” Solodov said, adding that Iranian way of film-making reminded him of the cinema of the late USSR (1970-1980) and that the main theme in the two has been an emphasis on the humanitarian message and an interest in psychology.

Yoshimasa Jimbo, a director from Japan, said Iranian cinema changed the way he used to see the world around him, adding that Iranian films are very poetic in their way of expression.

Slovenian director Martin Turk said films by great Iranian directors like Kiarostami were very sincere in how they have addressed the children.

The 30th International Film Festival for Children and Youth opened on June 30 in Isfahan, a historic city and a major tourist destination in central Iran. More than 50 films and guests from 44 countries are accepted to the event while authorities have extensive plans for holding educational workshops both for children and cinema professionals throughout the festival which will close on July 6. 

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