Min: Iran cinematographers Not To Attend Oscar To Protest Anti-Islam Film

Kerman, Sept 25, IRNA – Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance said here Monday Iranian cinematographers will not attend this year’s Academy Award Oscar Festival in protest against US blasphemous film against Islam’s most revered Prophet (PBUP). Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini made the comment Monday night at the opening ceremony of the 12th International Resistance Film Festival, held in Vahdat Hall of Kerman’s Martyr Bahonar University. He added, “The entire sensitive and responsible individuals have shown their protest against the production of this blasphemous film in a way and today, too, the head of the Cinematic Affairs Organization has sent me a request regarding not attending the Oscar Festival.” Hosseini said, “Following receiving that proposal we had talks with the officials of the Islamic Propagation Organization’s Arts Bureau and decided that if the producesrs of ‘Ye Habbe Qand’ (A Sugar Cube) film, which was scheduled to participate at this year’s Oscar Award Ceremony, would be willing, we would react seriously to the insulting move by not participating at Oscar Festival.” Hosseini said, “This year we would refrain from participation at Oscar event and we hope good films about the history of Islam and the traditions of the revered Messenger of Allah (P) would be produced both in Iran and aroad this year.” The culture and Islamic guidance minister meanwhile referring to the sponsoring of the 12th International Resistance Film Festival said, “Merely the fact that some foreign media have reacted to the sponsoring of this international event is a sign for its influence.” He added, “This festival is aimed at supporting Palestine and Lebanon and the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, too, has said that we support anyone who spends efforts against the Zionist regime and the United States.” Hosseini noted, “A film on the 33 Day Resistance of the Lebanese nation has already been produced and we hope a film about the 22 Day resistance of Gaza residents, too, would be made.” Talking about the special features of this year’s 12th International Resistance Film Festival, he said, “This festival is held at 16 provinces and 80 boarder points of the country, and I hereby appreciate the efforts made by entire involved officials.” The central events of the 12th International Resistance Film Festival are taking place in Kerman from September 25th to 29th. Organized by the Iran-based Association of Revolution and Holy Defense Cinema and the Organization of Iranian Cinema, the festival is set to be held mainly in Kerman as well as several other cities. Iran's Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad Hosseini along with a number of cinematic and cultural officials attended the ceremony that was held in Kerman’s Vahdat Hall on September 24, 2012. The event will host about 20 international guests, including Japanese producer Asako Kageyama who produced documentaries against the presence of the US in Japan, Iraqi filmmaker Aida Schlapfer who conducted the Zurich Arabic Film Festival and Samira Saidi, the filmmaker and writer from Algeria. Egyptian director Amr Samer, Spanish director Fernando Lucena, producer and director from Palestine Yahya Barakat, Ali Daher from Alressalah channel in Lebanon, Tunisian director Anis Lassoued are some of the cineastes who will be in the festival’s jury panel. According to the organizers of the event, the festival is scheduled to focus on ‘Economic Sanctions’, ‘Resistance and Islamic Awakening’, ‘Terrorism and International Zionism’, and the ‘Struggle against the Global Arrogance’ among other themes. A number of meetings and conferences are programmed to be held on the sidelines of the 2012 Resistance Film Festival./end