Civilnet
By Minahil Arif
The Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival kicked off on July 13 and will run until July 20. The festival showcases numerous prominent films from all around the world. For 22 years, this festival has focused on spotlighting cinema from the Caucasus and the Middle East, featuring films that represent the crossroads of cultures and civilizations.
This year began with the screening of the film “A Simple Incident” by Jafar Panahi, which won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May. Panahi, an award-winning film director, screenwriter, and editor, is a renowned Iranian filmmaker, who has faced many challenges within his country when producing and publicizing his films.
During one of the film festival sessions, Panahi expressed how honoured he felt to be in Armenia for the event. He mentioned that the underground creators in Iran wish to have a similar kind of film community to that in Armenia.
He said many of his films have not been screened in Iran, but he is happy that now, due to better technology, he has wider recognition.
“It is quite natural that you are familiar with five per cent of our films. The remaining 95 per cent are of interest to the local society,” he said
He also noted that for younger generations in Iran, his achievements and those of his fellows pave the path forward.
The main sponsor of the 22nd Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival is the Yerevan Municipality. The event is also supported by Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports.
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