Seifollah Samadian, a photographer and filmmaker, says about the activities of social news and documentary photographers: Unfortunately, activity of social news and documentary photographers has decreased in last two or three years; This is because photographers have to work on photo collections either at their own expense or with support of the media and agency in which they operate, but this is less common than in the past, and we rarely see photographers looking for a socially documented subject in a go to another province or abroad.
According to Artmag quoted by ISNA, the secretary of Tassvir International Film Festival said: This has led to a decline in serious activity in the media, especially the print media, said the secretary of the Tassvir International Film Festival. Naturally, when serious work of photographers diminishes, consequences are also reflected in the Tassvir International Film Festival, but in recent times we have tried not to miss the important points of the image in the field of news as in previous periods. However, most of social documentary work at 19th Tassvir International Film Festival belonged to local or fledgling photographers.
Regarding impact of a serious decline in news photography and social documentary activity on Tassvir International Film Festival, he said: evertheless, in the nineteenth period we had much more photographs than in previous periods; Because even if we consider mobile photos, it was so much that we had to provide two rooms of the Nami Gallery with mobile photos, that is, about 400 frames out of tens of thousands of photos that were sent to mobile section.
He continued: Also, in news sections, apart from Iranian photographers, prominent photographers worked outside Iran during the year, such as: Majid Saeedi who worked in Afghanistan, or Amin Jamali from Beijing Winter Olympics. They sent us a video report.”. However, in the nineteenth period, due to events that took place in Isfahan, for example, professional news photographers were not present or if they were, they did not submit their photographs for some reason. But we showed a selection of photos from first stage of the Zayandehrud gatherings, which were recorded by Isfahan photographers, in news section. In general, the more news photos you see in Iranian press, the more you see them at the Tassvir International Film Festival.
Seifollah Samadian, about the effects of Corona on the world of images, said: Corona was not something that we want to see difference in only one area and in one part of the world art. Corona changed the way photographers’ mental interactions with the world around them visually, and has had a definite impact on worldviews of photographers, filmmakers, and cartoonists in general. Corona caused a lot of changes in the emotional treatment of subjects around us and even image of everything; This change was for me both as an artist and as organizer of Tassvir International Film Festival.
He added: Cyberspace, along with positive and negative effects it has had on human beings, has made it possible for everyone to present faster; This means that if you were at home, could not go out or were in quarantine, you could take a photo and show it quickly. But we had limitations in presenting more generally; In terms of spectators entering the hall and observing protocols. However, we did not fall short in this period and did our best to keep our galleries open even with restrictions.
Master Samadian, considering that next period of Tassvir International Film Festival will coincide with its twentieth anniversary, about the programs planned for this period, added: For twentieth anniversary of Tassvir International Film Festival, we will have very special programs in type It will be unique to Iranian visual culture. In the next period, simultaneously with House of Artists, we will dedicate other spaces to reflect an abstract of the last 20 years of Iran in various fields of photography, caricature, graphics, posters and films. Also, our presentation and call at the Tassvir International Film Festival will be significantly different, which we will announce in due course.
He said: On the eve of twentieth Tassvir International Film Festival, we plan to hold our first international film festival under the title” Single Cinema (author).
Samadian said: Tassvir International Film Festival is proud to dedicate its international section to screen this group of films from this year and to award an award entitled: Abbas Kiarostami Award to selected filmmakers in fiction and documentary categories.
He continued: This year we will have an award for new art category, which includes video art films, multimedia, music videos and other forms of filmmaking in today’s world with the digital revolution.” In fact, at the award: New Art, we will award the experience in any form other than usual forms of documentaries, animations, short fiction films and even documentaries. Also in national arena, from the twentieth year, we will have an award for the best film, both documentary and fiction, named after one of the most prestigious filmmakers, the details of which we will announce later.
He added: To internationalize all areas, we do not have necessary facilities, schedule and performance, so for now we will be content with film festival, but in other areas, using the experiences of previous periods, we will have a much more mature presentation.” Of course, in the coming years we may be able to have more in competition section on public issues.
