Iranian official asks for cineastes’ help to put Iranian cinema in rightful place

TEHRAN,Aug.28(MNA) -- The new director of the Iran Cinema Organization asked cineastes to help him put Iranian cinema in its rightful place in the country and the world. Speaking to the Persian service of MNA on Monday, Hojjatollah Ayyubi said, “I believe that the Iranian cinema is the cultural showcase for Iran and the promoter of the country in the world.” “However, all of us know that the Iranian cinema unfortunately is not currently in its most favorable condition,” he added. “Consequently, cineastes are not able to do their work in peace, when in fact, Iranian cinema doesn’t deserve to be this condition,” he noted. Ayyubi said that he will do his best to take positive steps to improve the condition. “I request all the cineastes and those who are film enthusiasts to help bring peace to the cinema,” he asked. Former director of the Economic Cooperation Organization’s Cultural Institute, Ayyubi was appointed to the Iran Cinema Organization by Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati on Monday. He is the second director of the organization, which was established in February 2012 to be Iran’s highest state body for making policy in cinematic affairs. The office of the deputy culture minister for cinematic affairs previously bore the responsibilities. Former president Mahmud Ahmadinejad’s art advisor, Javad Shamaqdari, who was famous for his ‘anti-Western’ inclination, was the first director of the organization. Ayyubi’s most important mission will be to search for a peaceful settlement to reopen the Iranian House of Cinema (IHC), the guild of Iranian cineastes which was disbanded by the former minister of culture and Islamic guidance, Mohammad Hosseini in early January 2012. Hosseini had accused the IHC officials of establishing the guild without legal formalities and “other illegal acts”.