TEHRAN -- Managing Director of the Iranian House of Cinema Mohammad-Mehdi Asgarpur criticized reactions of the media toward the recent Hollywood delegation visit to Iran.

In a press conference held here at the Iranian House of Cinema on Tuesday, Asgarpur said that one of the Iranian dailies criticized the Hollywood team’s visit with a caustic remark, and this sort of criticism leads to the idea of producing a movie like ‘300’. I could easily have predicted the reactions to this trip; and who and what group would have what kind of reactions.
“I believe some tried to show the guests that we are the same people depicted in ‘300’, and ‘Not without My Daughter’. On the other hand, some others tried to show our rich cultural background and acted based on this rich culture. In none of the meetings, the Iranian cineastes bowed to the American filmmakers. The Hollywood team encountered a true image of Iran, its culture, its history and its people.
“The state TV reaction was also predictable. IRIB political department began to show programs that discussed the strong relations between Hollywood, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Zionist regime, and insisted on drawing the viewers’ attention to this. But the films they were talking about had been previously aired on state TV channels several times.
“I know that IRIB director Ezzatollah Zarghami knows cinema well, and that he is well aware of the position of Iran’s cinema in the world. I think this was because some policies are not well defined at IRIB. If inviting several members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and holding seminars and workshop are against the national interest, so is airing different kinds of Hollywood productions and only those movies produced by American independent filmmakers should be shown.
“We accept the general idea of the Oscar, but we have always had our own opinions about its details. These meetings provided an opportunity to hold talks with Academy members and we were able to express our views,” he stated.
He later expressed his appreciation to the Culture Minister and the Majlis Cultural Committee for their reactions to the Hollywood delegation visit.
“I express my thanks to Culture Minister (Mohammad-Hossein) Saffar Harandi who took a logical stance on this trip and supported Iran’s cinema. Majlis Cultural Committee also reacted sensibly to this issue,” he added.
Asgarpur also talked about the letter he wrote to Majlis Cultural Committee Chairman Gholamali Haddad Adel and continued, “I wrote a letter to him on Saturday and explained the details and the programs. Fortunately, the meetings and seminars were all recorded and the films will come out in a collection.”
This is while Iranian ministers of foreign affairs, culture, and information were summoned to the Majlis to explain about the Hollywood delegation’s visit to Iran. The decision to summon the ministers was made during a session of the Cultural Committee of the Majlis last week.
He continued, “We are working on different issues at the House of Cinema and are planning to hold several seminars and workshops with world famous cineastes. Certainly, some Iranians will also be selected to take part in the international events for cultural exchange.”
Asgarpur went on to say, “Dog Day Afternoon” writer Frank Pierson expressed his appreciation and said that he would like to continue his relations with Iranian cineastes and that he would be traveling to Iran to hold a workshop.
“People also met with the Hollywood team in Tehran, Shiraz and Isfahan. The team was also extremely impressed by their visits to Iran’s historical monuments and Persepolis in Shiraz,” Asgarpur concluded.
The Hollywood delegation arrived Tehran a few week ago. They included Sid Ganis, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, William Horberg, producer of “The Kite Runner,” and Alfre Woodard, who acted in “Desperate Housewives.” “American Beauty” star Annette Bening, “Field of Dreams” director Phil Robinson and “Dog Day Afternoon” writer Frank Pierson were also included.
The delegation was invited to Iran by the House of Cinema, which is under the authority of the Culture Ministry. Educational workshops on acting, directing, documentary-making and other aspects of the business were held with the group during their stay.
Photo: Managing Director of the Iranian House of Cinema Mohammad-Mehdi Asgarpur (R) and president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Sid Ganis pose for a photograph during the recent Hollywood delegation visit to Tehran.