“Richard III” rules at Iranian theater festival

TEHRAN,Feb.13(MNA) – Atila Pesyani’s adaptation of the Shakespeare’s magnum opus “Richard III” grabbed the Grand Prix of the 30th Fajr International Theater Festival. The Best Director Award of the International Section of the festival also went to Atila Pesyani for the play and the Best Actor Award in the section was awarded to the play’s leading actor, Saber Abar. The play, which features the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of Richard III of England, was revised by Mohammad Charmishir for the performance. The winners were announced during a ceremony at the Vahdat Hall on Saturday which was attended by the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini, Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Hamid Shahabadi and several artists and officials. The Special Award of the International Section of the festival went to “Misty Mansion” by the Dazzle troupe from Japan. Yoshikatsu Ito was also won the Best Stage Designer Award at the gala. Iranian dramatist Hamid Azarang won the Best Dramatist Award for his play “Two Liter Multiply Two Liter Peace”. Best Musician Award also went to Masud Sekhavatdust for the play. Italian Nathalie Mentha won the Best Actress Award for her role in “Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea” by Pino Di Buduo (Teatro Potlach). In the Iran Competition Section, Samaneh Zandinejad won the Best Director Award for her play “Welcome to Death Ceremony of the Brother!” and Salma Rafiei was awarded with the Best Dramatist Award for the play at the ceremony. Shima Mirhamidi also won the Best Stage Designer Award for the play. Hamid Azarang also won the Best Actor Award for his role in “Blood Dancing”. The festival also paid tribute to Iranian stage greats Jamshid Mashayekhi, Esmaeil Khalaj, Ahmad Julaee and Shirin Bozorgmehr. The ten-day festival was held in Tehran and Alborz, Golestan, Kermanshah, Lorestan and Northern Khorasan provinces.