Iranian institute and foreign agencies team up to promote Persian literature

November 30, 2013, 9:49 am

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TEHRAN – The Ghazaal Literary Agency, an independent institute established in 2012, has signed deals with a number of international agencies to publish translations of some contemporary Persian literary works in the world.

 

The Sussana Zevi Literary Agency in Italy will publish Italian and French versions of the Iranian novels “Kimia Khatun” by Saeideh Qods, “Never Again” by Mahvash Eghtefari, “A Red Vein Put on a Canvas” by Maliheh Sabbaghian, “Khale-Bazi” by Belqeis Soleimani, “Grand Hotel” by Mahnaz Javaheri and “Aylin’s Dark Line” by Mahmonir Kahbasi.

 

Ghazaal has also signed an agreement with the Big Apple Agency, Inc. in China. This agency will publish a Chinese version of “Wolves Are Not Scared of Snow” by Mohammadreza Bayrami, “A Man in Eternal Exile” by Nader Ebrahimi, “Café Piano” by Farhad Jafari, “Heaven’s Corridor” by Nazi Safavi” and “A Star Named Monster” by Mohammadreza Yusefi.

 

The Korridor Small Press (Forlaget Korridor) in Denmark will publish a Danish version of the Iranian novella 

“Once Again, the City I Loved” by Nader Ebrahimi in the near future.

 

The Ella Sher Literary Agency in Spain and Allied Authors Agency in Netherlands are two other agencies that will release Dutch translations of books in the near future.

 

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Tehran centers to host two charity performances

December 1, 2013, 8:38 am

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TEHRAN -- Two theater troupes will give benefit reading performances in Tehran on Saturday.

 

Bahareh Moshiri will direct a reading of “Moon on the Water” at the Andisheh Cultural Center to raise funds for the victims of the earthquake that hit regions in southern Iran last week.

 

Written by Mohammad Yaqubi, the play will be performed by Ana Nemati, Ali Sarabi, Parvin Qaem-Maqami, Hooman Kiaii, Hengameh Hamidzadeh, Vida Javan, Ali Tajmir, Paria Taheri, Raika Purarab and Moshiri.

 

“This play is a good work about human relations and I hope our performance will be as good as Mr. Yaqubi’s play,” Moshiri said in a press release on Sunday.

 

The performance has been organized by Yaraneh Barekat Charity Foundation.

 

A troupe, which will be directed by Piruz Karami, is scheduled to give a reading performance of “His Life” at the Arasbaran Cultural Center to raise money for children suffering from butterfly syndrome.

 

Butterfly syndrome refers to a medical condition in which a person’s skin peels off exposing the deeper layers. This makes the skin appear to be as weak as a butterfly’s wings.

 

The play tells the story of a man who is informed about his wife’s death when he is in a business trip. Afterwards, his lawyer tells him about some secrets of her life.

 

Yekata Nasser, Kambiz Dirbaz, Ammar Tafti, Nazanin Gudarzi, Sanaz Zamani, Abbas Sattarzadeh, and Sina Afshar will perform the reading of the play, which was written by Taraneh Borumand.

 

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Parents to come together at Khuzestan storytelling festival

December 1, 2013, 8:57 am

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TEHRAN – The Khuzestan Cultural Heritage Devotees Society (Tariana) plans to gather Iranian parents at a storytelling festival in May 2014.

 

The Festival of Storytelling Fathers and Mothers has been organized to promote the old tradition of storytelling in Iran, the festival spokesman Mojtaba Gahestuni told the Persian service of MNA on Sunday.

 

The festival, which will be held on May 18, 2014, aims to collect part of the oral traditions and preserve them for the next generation, and to encourage people to respect their cultural heritage, he said.

 

He added that stories told by parents to children are a major part of the cultural heritage of a country, and that children today need to hear them so they can hand down the tales to future generations of children.

 

“Stories refer to historical events, battles, ceremonies, heroes, love, friendship and religious beliefs,” he said.

 

Unfortunately, recent changes in lifestyles and the development of modernity have changed the identity of culture. “Many traditions and beliefs have been faded away, a part of which are our oral literature and stories,” he said.

 

Interested applicants are asked to submit samples of their stories narrated and saved on CDs to parents.storyteller@gmail.com.

 

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Iranian foundation to participate in Game Connection exhibit in Paris

December 1, 2013, 8:38 am

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TEHRAN -- The National Foundation for Computer Games (NFCG) will participate in the 2013 Game Connection of Europe, which will open in Paris tomorrow.

 

A collection of 15 new Iranian computer games will be introduced and displayed at the exhibit, NFCG reported in a press release.

 

Several sessions have also been arranged on the sidelines to introduce games at the exhibit, which will run until December 5.

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IAF cinematheque to screen “Parviz”

December 1, 2013, 8:59 am

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TEHRAN -- The cinematheque of the Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) will screen “Parviz” in an exclusive screening for its members today.

 

A review session, which director Majid Barzegar will be attending, will be held after the film screening.

 

The film has not received permission for public screening in Iran, which is issued by the Iran Cinema Organization.

 

“Parviz” is about a man in his fifties who has lived his entire life in his father’s home and has never had a job. His quiet routine suddenly comes apart when his father decides to remarry and tells him to move out.

 

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Georgian Iranologist translates Persian plays

December 1, 2013, 9:00 am

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TEHRAN -- The Georgian scholar and Iranologist Giorgi Lobjanidze has translated a selection of Persian plays, which were published in a book entitled “Modern Persian Drama”.

 

The book was unveiled during a ceremony at the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia in Tbilisi on Thursday.

 

Iran’s cultural attaché in Tbilisi Bahram Kian and a group of Georgian scholars and authors attended the ceremony.

 

The book contains plays by celebrated dramatists Bahram Beizaii, Akbar Radi, Qotbeddin Sadeqi, Amir Dejakam, Mohammad Charmshir and Naghmeh Samini.

 

“I want to introduce our people to the rich contemporary culture of Iran and to strengthen the friendship between the two nations,” Georgian culture minister Guram Odisharia said during the event.

 

Kian said that the plays selected for the book are the best works from Iranian literature in this genre and added that Lobjanidze has translated the works perfectly.

 

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Iranian cartoonist finishes first in Italian contest

December 1, 2013, 8:59 am

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TEHRAN – The Iranian cartoonist Behruz Firuzi has won the first prize at the 17th edition of the international competition Fax for Peace, Fax for Tolerance in Spilimbergo, Italy.

 

He received the prize for his cartoon depicting a little girl playing hopscotch but the safe base of it ends with a hole and tombstone, the organizers announced on November 21.

 

Other Iranian cartoonists Sohrab Kheiri and Parvin Mohammadi received honorable mention at the competition. 

 

Peace, tolerance, fighting against any form of racism and the defense of human rights were the themes of the competition.

 

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What’s in art galleries

December 1, 2013, 9:01 am

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Drawing

 

* A collection of drawings by Arash Golzari-Hosseini will be put on display in an exhibition at the Andisheh Cultural Center today.

 

Thirty-two works depicting some of Iran’s historical monuments have been selected for the exhibit, which will run until December 8.

 

Golzari-Hosseini spent over one year drawing the works. His works have previously been showcased in over 40 group and solo exhibits 

 

The center is located in Andisheh Park on Shariati Ave.

 

 

Painting

 

* An exhibition of paintings by Iman Afsarian is currently underway at the Asar Gallery.

 

Objects and places, which have been out of use for a long time, are the central themes of his collection.

 

The exhibit will continue until December 20 at the gallery, which can be found at 16 Barforushan St. off Iranshahr Street.

 

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Iranian institute receives Russian honorary title

December 2, 2013, 9:09 am

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TEHRAN -- Iran’s Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA) has received the honorary title of Honored Culture Worker of Russia, the institute announced on Monday.

 

The title was given by Russian State Children’s Library Director Maria Vedenyapina.

 

This is the first time the title has been granted to a foreign organization, the IIDCYA stated quoting an official of the Russian State Library.

 

The titled was presented to the IIDCYA during the Iranian and Russian Children’s Friendship Festival, which was held at the Russian State Children's Library in Moscow from November 18 to 23.

 

IIDCYA organized several workshops on puppet making, collage and origami for Russian children. 

 

In addition, a large number of books published by IIDCYA, a selection of children’s paintings and book illustrations, and a collection of Iran’s national dolls Sara and Dara clad in Iranian traditional costumes were put on display in exhibitions during the festival.

 

The IIDCYA also presented a package of Iranian handicrafts, Sara and Dara dolls, and Iranian carpets to the Russian State Children’s Library.

 

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Sculptures by artists from Saqqakhaneh Movement on display at Tehran show

December 2, 2013, 9:09 am

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TEHRAN -- An exhibition displaying sculptures by major artists of the Saqqakhaneh Movement, an artistic movement that began in Iran during the 1960s, is currently underway at Tehran’s Niavaran Cultural Historical Complex.

 

The Saqqakhaneh Movement, also called Saqqakhaneh School, is a neo-traditional style of art that derives inspiration from Iranian folk art and culture. This movement sought to integrate popular symbols of Shia Muslim culture in art.

 

Among the highlights of the exhibit are Parviz Tanavoli’s “Farhad and Bisotun” and “Poet”.

 

Works by Hossein Zenderudi, Faramarz Pilaram, Masud Arabshahi, Sadeq Tabrizi, Nasser Ovissi and Mansureh Hosseini have also been selected for the exhibition, which will run until December 21.

 

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Jury selected for Cinéma Vérité intl. section

December 2, 2013, 9:09 am

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TEHRAN -- The 7th edition of Cinéma Vérité has appointed the members of the jury for the international section of the Iranian international festival of documentary films.

 

Iranian cineastes Rakhshan Bani-Etemad and Alireza Shojanuri along with Indian film expert Amrit Gangar, Italian director Rossella Ragazzi and Russian director Pavel Petchenkin are the members of the jury.

 

The 7th Cinéma Vérité will be held in Tehran from December 10 to 17.

 

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Iranian director takes “Hotchpotch” to Greek festival

December 2, 2013, 9:10 am

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TEHRAN – Iranian director Ebrahim Foruzesh’s “Hotchpotch” is currently competing at the 16th Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People in Pyrgos, Greece.

 

The film is based on a story of the same name by the celebrated Iranian author Hushang Moradi Kermani.

 

Hedayat Hashemi, Sina Razani, Leila Otadi, Setareh Eskandari, Maedeh Tahmasbi, Kataneh Afsharinejad and Javad Zeituni star in the movie.

 

The film is the story of a mother who dies giving birth to a baby. Responsible for taking care of the newborn child singlehandedly, the father faces many problems as the baby does not want to be bottle-fed. 

 

More than 50 films from all over the world are competing in this year’s Olympia festival, which will run until December 7. 

 

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Dariush Mehrjuii to restore “The Cow” for world screening

December 2, 2013, 9:11 am

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TEHRAN -- Iranian director and producer Dariush Mehrjuii plans to restore “The Cow” to screen the acclaimed film in some countries.

 

He has taken the film from the National Film Archive of Iran and has handed it over to the Pishgaman-e Cinama-ye Aria Laboratory to do the necessary restoration of the movie, the Persian service of MNA reported on Monday.

 

Made in 1969, “The Cow” is the 74-year-old Mehrjuii’s second film. The Film is based on “The Mourners of Bayal”, a collection of short related stories by celebrated Iranian writer Gholamhossein Saedi. 

 

The film is about Masht Hassan, who owns the only cow in a remote and desolate village. While he is away, his cow, whom he treats as his own child, dies. Knowing the relationship between Masht Hassan and his cow, the villagers hastily dispose of the corpse, and when Masht Hassan returns, they tell him that his cow ran away. Devastated by the news, Masht Hassan starts to spend all his time in the barn eating hay and slowly begins to believe that he has become the cow.

 

“The Cow” won the International Critics Prize of the Venice Film Festival in 1971. It was the first award the Iranian motion picture industry ever received in an international event.   

 

The film was financed largely by the government of former Iranian monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.  The producers were aghast at the finished product as they felt that the film portrayed Iran as a completely backward country. The film was only allowed to be released with a disclaimer attached stating that the events depicted happened long before the regime existing at that time came to power.

 

 

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“Imaginative Hands” to display Iranian handicrafts

December 3, 2013, 11:36 am

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TEHRAN -- A large collection of Iranian handicrafts will be put on display in an exhibition entitled “Imaginative Hands” in Tehran late this week.

 

Jewelries, woodworks, metal works, pottery works, pottery works, carpets, rugs and many other handicrafts will be showcased at the exhibit, which will open at the Iranian Artists Forum on Thursday.

 

The handicrafts have been created by artisans from the Iranian provinces of East Azarbaijan, West Azarbaijan, Kordestan, Gilan, Lorestan, Zanjan, Isfahan, Kerman, Mazandaran, Golestan, Central and Tehran.

 

A committee composed of experts from the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts has approved the quality of all the handicrafts selected for the ten-day show, exhibition secretary Farzad Ojanai said in a press release on Tuesday.

 

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Filmmaker Dariush Mehrjuii blames Tehran’s air pollution for his sister’s death

December 3, 2013, 11:36 am

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TEHRAN – The celebrated filmmaker Dariush Mehrjuii has blamed Tehran’s air pollution for the death of his set designer sister Jila.

 

Jila Mehrjuii, the set designer of the acclaimed films “Smell of Camphor, Fragrance of Jasmine” and “A House Built on Water”, died at the age of 68 on Friday.

 

She was suffering from heart disease. She underwent surgery at a Tehran hospital, but she died as a result of low blood pressure, the Persian media announced.

 

Speaking at the memorial ceremony held for Jila in the Iranian Artists Forum on Sunday, Mehrjuii said with regrets, “This air pollution is killing every individual. All my friends are suffering from cancer. (Actor) Ezzatollah Entezami is in the CCU due to respiratory problems.” 

 

Tears streaming down his face on seeing several photos of his sister on a slideshow, he continued, “I am very angry; Jila was very talented. I had not seen these photos of her before. What makes me more furious is to know what really killed Jila?”

 

Addressing Iran’s Environmental Protection Organization (EPO) Director Masumeh Ebtekar, he said, “How many words, words, words. We had a 2500-year-old civilization and the world’s largest empire was in our hands, why are we like this now?”

 

“(EPO) director must give me the answer not just in words. Dear mayor do something, everybody is dying,” he added with regrets.

 

Leila Hatami, Niki Karimi, Ali Mosaffa, Gohar Kheirandish, Mahtab Keramati, Masud Rayegan, Pegah Ahangarani, Homayun Ershadi and Mani Haqiqi were among the cineastes who attended the ceremony.

 

Jila had collaborated with his brother in “The Cycle”, “The Tenants”, “Hamun”, “Banu”, “Sara” and “Leila”.

 

She was honored with two Crystal Simorghs for her work in Bahman Farmanara’s acclaimed films “Smell of Camphor, Fragrance of Jasmine” in 1999 and “A House Built on Water” in 2002.

 

She was buried in the main cemetery of Taleqan, a town located about 135 kilometers northwest of Tehran.
 

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Calligraphy exhibit to highlight quotes from Ali Hatami’s movies

December 3, 2013, 11:38 am

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TEHRAN – An exhibition of calligraphy by Sepideh Mobarhan featuring everlasting quotes by various characters from celebrated director Ali Hatami’s movies will be held at the Sarv Gallery.

 

The exhibition, which has been organized to commemorate the 17th anniversary of Hatami’s death, will open on Friday.

 

Hatami died of a brain tumor on December 7, 1996 in Tehran.

 

Hatami’s daughter actress Leila Hatami, actors Jamshid Mashayekhi, Ali Dehkordi, Reza Ruygari, Rahim Noruzi and several other artists will attend the opening ceremony of the exhibition.

 

In his films, Hatami developed a personal style that was characterized by melodious dialogue and traditional Iranian ambiance created through architecture and set design.

 

His made his debut with the musical “Hassan the Bald” in 1969. Acclaimed films “Mother”, “The Suitor” and “Kamalolmolk” are among his credits. 

 

The gallery is located at the Sarv Cultural Center, which can be found in Saei Park, Vali-e Asr Ave.

 

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Bust of poet Qeisar Aminpur unveiled in Tehran

December 3, 2013, 11:38 am

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TEHRAN – A bust of contemporary poet Qeisar Aminpur (1958-2007) was unveiled in Tehran’s Saadatabad neighborhood during a ceremony on Monday.

 

The bust was situated at the square which has been named after Aminpur, Persian media reported on Tuesday.

 

Tehran City Council Chairman Ahmad Masjed-Jamei along with a group of contemporary poets including Soheil Mahmudi and Iranian Poets’ Society Director Fatemeh Rakei attended the event.

 

Speaking at the ceremony, Masjed-Jamei said that the bust has been made to be seen, “but I’m not sure if this bust would be seen amid all these tableaus and colors.”

 

“Qeisar always refused to be highlighted. He even refused to have a square named after him in Kermanshah, but now, he is more eternal and more significant compared to any other figures,” he added.

 

He continued, “Qeisar was the poet of Iran, the poet of rituals and all these demonstrate his Iranian character and culture, which has made him an enduring figure.”

 

He emphasized the importance of continuing to name streets and squares after Iranian luminaries, hoping that busts of other figures would find their ways onto streets.

 

Mahmudi next made a brief speech and expressed his happiness over the installation of Qeisar’s bust, adding that this process must be expanded to include other prominent figures.

 

Sculptor Hossein Ali Asgari gave a few details about the sculpture and said that he focused on the character and poetry of Qeisar in designing the bust. “I made use of a kaffiyeh around his neck as the symbol of his poetry with the central theme of Sacred Defense (1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war).

 

Qeisar Aminpur was born in 1958 in the southern Iranian city of Dezful. After obtaining his high school diploma in Dezful he moved to Tehran where he continued his education. He received a doctorate from the University of Tehran in 1997.

 

From 1988 he became the editor in chief of the young adult’s magazine Sorush. He was also a professor at the University of Tehran and Alzahra University. He resigned from editorship of Sorush in 2002 when he became a member of the Academy of Persian Language and Literature.

 

His collections of poetry include “The Respiration of Morning”, “In the Sun’s Alley”, “Poetry of the 10th Day’s Noon”, “Sudden Mirrors”, “All Flowers are All Sunflowers” and “The Grammar of Love”.

 

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Persian translation of Kerouac’s “Dharma Bums” published

December 4, 2013, 8:19 am

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TEHRAN – The Persian translation of “Dharma Bums” by American author Jack Kerouac (1922-1969) has recently been published by Rozaneh Publications in Tehran.

 

One of the best and most popular of Kerouac’s autobiographical novels, the 312-page book has been translated into Persian by Farid Qadami.

 

“Dharma Bums” is based on experiences the writer had during the mid-1950s while living in California, after he’d become interested in Buddhism’s spiritual mode of understanding, writes Amazon on its website.

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Hemingway’s selected articles to appear in Persian

December 4, 2013, 8:33 am

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TEHRAN – A Persian translation of “Selected Articles and Dispatches of Four Decades” written by Ernest Hemingway and collected by William White will soon be published.

 

Translated by Kayhan Bahmani, the book will be published by Sallis Publications.

 

Spanning the years 1920 to 1956, this priceless collection shows Hemingway’s work as a reporter, from correspondent for the Toronto Star to contributor to Esquire, Colliers and Look. 

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IAF to host commemoration of Ali Hatami

December 4, 2013, 8:33 am

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TEHRAN – A group of cineastes and scholars will gather for a ceremony at the Iranian Artist Forum (IAF) evening today to commemorate the 17th anniversary of the death of the celebrated director Ali Hatami.

 

Actors Ali Nasirian and Amin Tarokh, filmmaker Mohammadreza Aslani and Senior Advisor of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization (CHTHO) Mohammad Beheshti are among the scholars to deliver speeches at the ceremony.

 

The theme music from his TV series “Hezar Dastan” will also be performed live for the audience.

 

RM/YAW

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