.jpg "COI Director Hojjatollah Ayyubi (2nd from right) and Russian State University of Cinematography Director Vladimir Malishev (3rd from right) exchange documents after signing a memorandum of understanding last week.")
TEHRAN -- Cinema Organization of Iran (COI) Director Hojjatollah Ayyubi attended a ceremony that the Russian State University of Cinematography held last week to commemorate the 95th anniversary of its establishment.
He delivered a short speech at the ceremony, COI announced in a press release on Thursday.
“In a world that moves radically toward individualism, cinema has shown that it can be a good excuse for meeting,” Ayyubi said and thanked the head of the university, Vladimir Malishev, for organizing the ceremony.
He also stressed on the need for regular collaboration between Iranian and Russian cineastes.
He also read verses from poems by Persian poet Omar Khayyam who is popular among Russians. The poetry recitation was warmly received by the audience.
A memorandum of understanding was also signed between the Russian State University of Cinematography and the COI during the meeting.
According the MOU, both institutions will exchange students and professors, and organize joint film festivals and workshops.
The Russian State University of Cinematography, which is also known as the Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography, is the world’s oldest film school founded in 1919 by Lev Kuleshov and Vladimir Gardin, two outstanding Russian filmmakers.
During his sojourn in Moscow, Ayyubi also visited Mosfilm, a film studio often described as the largest and oldest in Russia and in Europe.
MMS/YAW
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