Fajr Festival’s Film Market Showcases 150 Iranian Movies

In the 18th Iran Film Market, which is only presenting Iranian films this year, different Iranian film organizations and institutes were provided with pavilions to present their products to the foreign guests of the festival.

The organizations and institutes participating in this market are as follows: Farabi Cinematic Foundation, Press TV, Hedayat Media, IIDCYA, Hozeye Honari, Eshragh Institute, IRIB channels, DEFC.

We Have Guests, Angels Come Together, Mezar Sharif, Rana's Silence, Nahid, 360 Degrees, Wednesday 19th Ordibehesht, Haji Shah, Fatness, Time For Love, Confessions of My Dangerous Mind, The Blue Sky of My Mother, Iran Burger, Paris to Paris, Morning of the 7th Day, Bet, Father of the Other, I Am a Mother, All That Men Do Not Know about Women, Bloody Wednesday, Parviz, One Night, A Man Who Became a Horse, From Tehran to Heaven, Dandruff, Red Carpet, Snow, Two, Closer, Taboo, Rainy Station, and We Are All Alone are some of the Iranian films presented in this market.

In documentary genre, the DEFC has presented the following documentaries: Atlan, I Want to Be a King, Mr. Workless, The Dolls Do Not Know, Fried Fish, The Host, The Law of the Jungle, Champions, and the Robes.

Tehran 1500 is the title of an animated film presented with other animations in IFM.

Maryam Naghibi, head of the Iran Film Market, said more than 300 short films, animated films and feature films were presented to international guests.

Naghibi announced that there are approximately 20 active pavilions in this market, among which 15 are presenting the feature films and the 5 others are presenting the animations.

Richard Barsbey, an English film producer, said about the IFM, “I’m here for the markets; I'm a buyer. This is my first time here in Tehran. I'm from the UK and I work for airlines. I have known Iranian movies on and off for a plenty of time through my father's business which is putting movies on airlines and I took the opportunity through Berlin festival. I've been invited here and so far I've enjoyed it, I've been well taken care of, people have been friendly and this is good for both me and Iranian films."

Another guest of the market, Etienne de Ricaud explained that the market is really to make contacts with directors and other artists and to get in touch with them after the market and maybe eventually cooperate with them, if we got along together and understood each other and had the same ideas.

“This year’s market has done so well so far, introducing me to these great directors. We will see what will happen,” de Ricaud added.

Anke Leweke, Berlinale Representative, also noted, “It is amazing because when I come in November to see the films, I am most of the time trapped in the traffic jam. And I like it here because I can meet all those people I know. It is like a living room and I feel I am home. I think this film market is at its first steps, it is its first edition. It is nice here and I think it will be better in future years. Fajr International Film Festival is very famous because it is the biggest film festival in Iran. I was invited by Iran Film Market to come and see Iranian brand new films. I selected an Iranian movie for Belfort festival last year; it was a first feature film title Farda (Tomorrow). I decided to attend the IFM to see more films to be able to select from them.”