TEHRAN – Director of the Cinema Organization of Iran Hojjatollah Ayyubi and Polish State Secretary for Culture Monika Smolen have discussed ways to expand cinematic collaboration.
The two officials met at the organization on Monday and held talks on bilateral cooperation and future agreements, the Persian service of MNA reported on Tuesday.
Iranian and Polish films enjoy many similar characteristics and daily problems of the country are reflected in Polish movies, Monika Smolen said.
She stressed that Poland can be introduced through films and hoped that her country would have good collaboration with Iran in cinematic productions.
She also proposed starting a joint project to exchange university students and holding courses on short film productions.
Two groups each with 5 or 6 students from Iran will be invited to the film academy in Poland and several groups from Poland will be sent to Iran to learn filmmaking, she continued.
In addition, she proposed the screening of Polish films in theaters across Iran to make people more familiar with the culture of her country.
Ayyubi for his part said that good decisions have been made and Iranian cineastes would also be happy to boost relations with other countries.
Referring to his trip to Warsaw in June to attend an Iranian film festival, Ayyubi said that a number of agreements made during his trip to Poland were being implemented.
The organization has plans to establish a national cinematic school of Iran in the near future, he said, adding, “There are several old cinema schools in Iran but there are plans to establish an academy like the National Film School in Lodz soon.”
He called the exchange of students a most practical action, and said that young filmmakers can make use of Polish cinematic knowledge.
Smolen had visited the Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance for Cultural Affairs Seyyed Abbas Salehi a few days ago.
RM/YAW
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