TEHRAN -- Playwright/director Alireza Naderi was honored on Saturday with the Ostad-Mohammad Medallion during the first edition of the award, which is presented to work promoting Iranian cultural elements.

Naderi won the award for his play “Pigeons of the Holy Shrine”, which was released and performed over the past year.

The play involves several individual woman praying for solutions for their various problems at the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS).

Naderi was not able to attend the award ceremony and dramatist Reza Shahbodaghi received the award on his behalf.

In a note read by Shahbodaghi, Naderi wrote how the award is amazing for him.

“The Nightmares of an Old Timid Retired Man” by Nader Borhani-Marand and “Friday Noon’s Story” by Mohammad Mosavat were also nominated for the award.

The Ostad-Mohammad Medallion was established by Ostad-Mohammad Foundation, which was set up last year by friends and family of prominent playwright and director Mahmud Ostad-Mohammad a year after his death.

He was famous for his talent in writing stories about the everyday lives of Iranians in the plays he composed, which were based upon the basic principles of modern Western theater.

A large number of dramatists, thespians and stage directors, including Mohammad Charmshir, Hadi Marzban, Qotbeddin Sadeqi, Parastu Golestani and Sharam Karami attended the award ceremony, which was held at Tehran’s City Theater Complex.

In addition, playwright Khosro Hakim-Rabet and set designer Saleh Panahi were commemorated at the ceremony.

A group of thespians also performed parts from “Aa-Seid Kazem”, Ostad-Mohammad’s play based on a real-life story about Aa-Seid Kazem, a man who was accused of murder and isolated from society.

A member of the Ostad-Mohammad Foundation gave a report on activities of the institute over the past year and announced the foundation’s plan to organize an international symposium on set and costume designing.

The foundation also plans to publish all plays by Ostad-Mohammad in collaboration with Cheshmeh Publications.

Ostand-Mohammad died in July 2013 after a three-year battle with liver cancer at age of 63.

Photo: Playwright Khosro Hakim-Rabet acknowledges the audience after receiving an honorable mention at a ceremony that the Ostad-Mohammad Foundation held on December 26, 2015. Actors Iraj Rad (L) and Behzad Farahani (2nd L) and playwright Mohammad Charmshir are also seen in the photo. (Honaronline/Gatha Ziatabari)

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