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Iranian film festival inaugurated

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Chief Executive, General Pervez Musharraf on National Affairs, Information and Media Development Javed Jabbar said Pakistan and Iran enjoy unique and multi-dimensional relationship embedded in Islamic brotherhood.

He was inaugurating a three-day Iranian film festival marking celebrations of birth century of Hazrat Imam Khomeini and the 21st anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran here at NAFDEC cinema on Tuesday.

He lauded the excellence achieved by Iran in film industry and said their cinema effectively portrays Iran's history, art, culture, literature and traditions.

He pointed out that existence of a healthy and vibrant cinema in Iran within the framework of Islamic values and principles contradicts the propaganda suggesting that Islam discourages art and creativity.

Iranian films have explored new avenues in elevating the minds of suppressed people, he said and added that the success of Iranian films has proved that excellence in cinema is no longer a monopoly of the West or some other countries.

He said Islam promotes the creativity in man and does not suppress it. This misconception has crept in the western world and in some Muslim countries as well that Islam imposes restrictions on thinking.

Speaking on the occasion Dr Raza Mostafavi, cultural counsellor of Islamic Republic of Iran said that Iran transformed this media into source of knowledge and used it for promotion of moral values by changing its concept that it is only source of obscenity and depravity.

He said cinema is not an evil thing in itself but its perverted use gives it shape of evil-doer as in many countries many youth have become criminals being influenced by films of crimes and violence. "We have given them morality-oriented dimension," he added.

He said after the film festival in Islamabad is over, a three day festival will be organised at Lahore.

Two films will be screened daily at NAFDEC. One cinema during three day firm festival. The films are Laila, The Colour of Paradise, Sara, To be or not to be, The Last Act and the Blue-veiled. All the films portray different aspects of Iranian life. PPI