The Embassy
of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Indonesia is set to host Cultural Week from
March 7 to 13 in Jakarta. It will feature film screenings, workshops on Iranian
arts, photography exhibitions and traditional music performances.
As part of
the festivities, the embassy will also host a film festival at Pusat Perfilman
Usmar Ismail in Kuningan, South Jakarta, from March 9 to 12. There will be
discussions with Iranian directors and actors.
“Through
this Cultural Week event, we are trying to introduce the culture and people of
the Republic of Iran to the Indonesian people,” said Mahmoud Farazandeh, the
Iranian ambassador, during a recent news conference at his residence in
Menteng, Central Jakarta.
“There are
plenty of Indonesian people I met who have expressed interest in Iranian films,
so we decided to run this event.”
Among the
films to be screened are “A Span of Heaven,” “The Third Day,” “The Sun Shines
on All Equally” and “Eighth Sky.”
Iranian
cinema has recently been thrust onto the international stage with the success
of “A Separation,” which won Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards,
among some 45 film award wins for the drama.
While most
modern movies portray violence, romance and unique relationships, the message
of Iranian films, according to Farazandeh, is to show the world the problems
that exist in the country. Some of these problems are unique to Iran, while
some problems, such as “A Separation’s” portrayal of a couple struggling to
care for their children and an ailing parent, are universal to all cultures.
“We don’t
present merely entertainment. There is always a message we want to deliver,” he
said. “It is how to say something without using violence or sexual scenes.”
The film
industry, Farazandeh said, was one way to voice revolution in Iran.
“We don’t
believe that violence can help reach revolution. Instead, it is the values of
humanity that can,” he said. “Our revolution is a cultural one.”
Cultural
Week of the Islamic Republic of Iran
March 7-13,
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Museum
Nasional, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat No. 12, Central Jakarta
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