Culture

Al-monitor – The diversity of actors on Iran’s political stage has made the political process in the country complex. The “maddahan” (“madah,” singular), religious singers or eulogists, are one group relatively new to the scene. AUTHOR Saeid Jafari A decade ago, maddahan were visible mainly in mosques and during such holidays as the 10-day mourning ceremonies in the month of …

PayvandNews  – The European Union commissioner for industry and entrepreneurship said on Tuesday that Iran is being turned into a major tourism destination for European travelers. Although some sticking points, such as investment problems, still remain with the EU side, but “The EU in collaboration with the United Nations World Tourism Organization and other global establishments tries to overcome the …

Al-monitor – Javad Hashemi, a famous Iranian actor who is best known for his blockbuster roles as a compassionate Basij soldier, has caused controversy by saying in a televised interview, “If I were in office in the Islamic Republic and [Golshifteh Farahani] said that she wanted to return, I would say ‘come back.'” AUTHOR Misha Zand Farahani is a well-known …

Al-monitor – Repeated concert cancellations over the past year have turned into a real headache for moderate President Hassan Rouhani, who in his 2013 election campaign pledged that he would address cultural issues. AUTHOR Rohollah Faghihi In August, Mashhad’s ultra-conservative Friday prayer leader, Ahmad Alamolhoda, defied the Rouhani administration as he prevented singers from performing in the holy city. Amid …

PayvandNews – Animation Lima directed by Afshin Roshanbakht and Vahid Jafari received the best animation award at the 10th Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival. “A gorgeous stop motion short about a son’s struggle to keep the memory of his father alive, with an evocative score by Icelandic composer Stein Thor.” – Festival’s website Lima (2015) Written and Directed …

RFL/RE – A senior cultural official has resigned after protests by conservative religious authorities over a concert in Iran’s holy Shi’ite city of Qom where many of Iran’s senior ayatollahs are based. Iranian media report that Abbas Daneshi, head of the department of culture in Qom, resigned due to discontent among senior theologians over the event held last month. In …

PayvandNews –  Iran will grant years of tax exemption to both domestic and foreign businesses and individuals as an incentive for ramping up investments in its tourism sector, Deputy Economy Minister Mohammad Khazaei said on Sunday. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the square was constructed between 1598 and 1629 “The tax exemption [strategy] has been envisaged for a period of …

Al-monitor – Speculation surrounding which film would represent Iran at the 2017 Academy Awards finally came to an end in mid-September with the selection of “The Salesman” by Oscar-winning director Asghar Farhadi. The movie was chosen by a committee of the Farabi Cinema Foundation, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. “The Salesman” won the best …

PayvandNews – Iranian film ‘Kasco’ by Mojtaba Ghasemi has won the Best Short Narrative award at Full Bloom Film Festival (FBFF) 2016 in the US. The movie received the award on September 24 in competition with 55 other short films at the Short Narrative Films section of the festival. ‘Kasco’ directed by Mojtaba Ghasemi Ghasemi’s production tells the story of Gholam Eshghi, known as KASCO, …

PayvandNews – PAAIA interviewed Dr. Arash Alaei and Dr. Kamiar Alaei to discuss their imprisonment in Iran, their ambitions to provide medical education to displaced Syrian refugee students, as well as their aspirations to inspire the next generation of students to become doctors. Dr. Kamiar Alaei (L) and Dr. Arash Alaei Dr. Arash Alaei and Dr. Kamiar Alaei, both members of the IA-100, are …