Asghar Farhadi uncertain about donation of memorabilia to Tehran museum

TEHRAN,Aug.25(MNA) -- The managing director the Film Museum of Iran has said that Oscar winner Asghar Farhadi has doubts about donating his awards and memorabilia to the museum after Iran Cinema Organization Director Javad Shamaqdari demanded that the museum eliminate its section dedicated to London-based Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf. “The order led our friends like Asghar Farhadi to waver from their plans to donate their awards and memorabilia to the museum,” Mohammad-Hassan Pezeshk told the Persian service of MNA on Saturday. “However, I emphasize that there is no place for doubt,” he added. Farhadi announced his plan to donate all his awards and a number of his memorabilia to the Film Museum of Iran shortly after he won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for “A Separation” in February 2012. Many Iranian filmmakers and actors had previously presented their memorabilia and personal items to the museum. But, Shamaqdari’s demand for the removal of Makhmalbaf’s personal items from the museum raised doubts over the safety of place. Shamaqdari made the demand in response to Makhmalbaf’s remarks in favor of Baha’ism during the Jerusalem Film Festival and also due to his presence at the event in Israel in July. However, the museum has not made any response to the demand of Shamaqdari, who is expected to be replaced due to the wind of change that has begun blowing since June 15 after moderate cleric Hassan Rohani won Iran’s presidential election.