TEHRAN- The 16th edition of the Ammar Popular Film Festival has received over 700 works from 11 countries, the secretary of the festival has announced. 

“The number of submissions has tripled compared to last year, featuring artists from Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Jordan, Morocco, and the UK," Marzieh Hashemi said during a press conference held at the Jameh Mosque of Abuzar in Tehran on Sunday. 

Many others from different countries wanted to participate but refrained out of fear due to the recent unrests, she added. 

Referring to the recent unrest in the country, she stated: "Seeing burned mosques and Qurans is painful. Previously, I had only heard about such events in Libya and Gaza, but I never thought that several mosques would be burned in the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

“As an American who has converted to Islam and takes pride in being part of the Islamic Republic, I believe we need to engage with the youth to raise their awareness,” she stated. 

“People in Canada and America have been imprisoned for chanting 'Free Palestine.' I grew up in America, and under similar circumstances, it would have been unimaginable for security forces not to wield military weapons or to refrain from deploying tanks on the streets," she noted. 

“So, we in the media have a duty to unveil the reality of these events. Americans and Israelis are oppressive and thirsty for Iranian blood. We must all unite, as our leader emphasizes unity. If we do not awaken, conditions may worsen.”

“However, we witnessed how alert the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran are. Protests against economic issues have nothing to do with the burning of mosques and buses," she mentioned. 

She also expressed hope that the 16th Ammar Popular Film Festival would serve as a stepping stone for greater enlightenment among the people.

Following her remarks, Saeid Khorshidi, the head of the festival's policy council, said: “Today, our people possess not only soft power but also hard power in their struggle against adversaries. The Ammar Festival itself is a manifestation of the Islamic Revolution's soft power and provides an opportunity for enthusiasts to gather around discussions of the revolution.”

“Moreover, it serves as a platform to reflect aspects of both soft and hard power within the Islamic Republic of Iran. Ammar stands as a counterexample to many claims made by intellectual currents and foreign adversaries,” he added. 

“Some attempt to portray Iranian society as depressed and stagnant; I invite these individuals to witness the works showcased at this festival,” he noted and explained: “This festival aims to demonstrate the dynamism of a society that does not expend all its energy solely on confronting crises but instead relies on itself to pursue its historical ideals. The works in the 'Iranian Dream' section of the festival inspire hearts towards the aspirations and achievements of young talents and scholars in this land."

He also stated that a distinctive feature represented in the festival is the presence of the masses wherever the Islamic Republic requires them. He noted that the works in the 12-Day War Section of the festival demonstrate the devoted presence of the Iranian people.

He described the festival as an opportunity to demonstrate that the “Republic of the People” is present on the scene today and is steering society towards its ideals. In the realm of social pathology, he asserted that revolutionary artists have much to offer, and the works in the internal discourse critique and justice pursuit sections show that perspectives and expressions have become more precise and artistic.

“I invite the general body of the nation’s elites and professors to adopt an offensive formation against the enemy’s organized front. Today, we need everyone, with any capability and initiative, to create synergy. We are all obliged to expend every available means,” Khorshidi emphasized.

He further said that at the Ammar Festival, efforts are also made to address the issue of confronting the media front aimed at whitewashing the Pahlavi era—an issue that signifies the enemy’s weakness and the necessity of our presence.

“On another note, I believe we must assist the country’s governance using the tools of art,” he remarked.

For his part, Mohammad Hossein Sabouri, the executive secretary of the festival said that the screenings of the selected films will be held at Tehran’s Bahman Cinema in five slots.

“This year, we had 3,040 works in various sections, of which 300 made it to the competition section. These works will be introduced on the festival’s official website. Alongside the main program, we will screen 40 works in various formats, and this year we will also have two special screenings for the hearing-impaired,” he detailed.

He added that alongside the central screening week, the festival’s online screening is also available and screened works will be accessible with a one-day delay.

“Due to the high participation of artists in the short film and medium-length film sections, we will have focused slots for short and medium-length films over one or two days to facilitate viewing these works and gathering artists,” Sabouri stated.

He emphasized that efforts were made to keep the festival running and remain committed to the works. “This festival is the result of the efforts of various individuals in the secretariat, and we have not allowed the light of this event to be extinguished for a moment,” he said.

The 16th edition of the Ammar Popular Film Festival will kick off on January 22 in Tehran and will continue until January 29. 

Ammar Popular Film Festival was established in 2010 by a number of Iranian revolutionary figures to honor film and art products promoting topics such as resistance and revolution. It was named after Ammar Yasir, a close companion of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

SAB/