Palestinian director says Iran can help establish Islamic cinema

TEHRAN,Nov.8 (MNA) -- Riad Shahin, Palestinian director and chairman of Gaza’s International Documentary Film Festival, is convinced that Iranian cineastes can help establish Islamic cinema. Iranian cinema has carried out great projects such as “33 Days”, an Iranian film on the Israeli 33-Day War of 2006 against Lebanon, he told the Persian service of Fars News Agency on Monday. “We watched the movie a few months ago when an Egyptian cinematic delegation was visiting Iran and the movie was highly acclaimed. This is the reason why I can say Iran and Iranian cineastes can help in the establishment of Islamic cinema,” he added. He next talked about the current situation of cinema in Palestine and especially in the Gaza Strip and said, “The number of filmmakers have not increased in Palestine and the number of theaters in Palestine is quite small. “This is while Gaza is full of topics suitable for documentaries. Many filmmakers come from different countries to Gaza to make docs since they can find tens of stories for their projects,” he added. He said that before Palestine’s Intifada, there were three or four active theaters in Gaza, but they were closed after the Intifada and have not opened since. Documentaries can be screened only in several educational centers,” he added. Gaza’s International Documentary Film Festival is the only cinematic event in Gaza established in 2009. “Entries to the first edition of the festival were only Palestinian films, but the movies in 2010 focused on freedom and Palestinian refugees and the siege of the Gaza Strip. “The festival this year centers on the youth and freedom because of the recent revolutions in the Arab countries,” he said.