40Braids special on Cannes Festival
Shahla Rostami
When we speak about Cannes film festival, we imagine “Red carpet”, stars, rumors around films and personalities, golden palm and other prizes.
Yet one of the most important, but hidden part of the festival is undoubtedly its film market where some 12000 participants from 118 countries take place.
Iran, an important country for the cinema, had, since long ago its public and private representatives in this market where many Iranian filmmakers, producers and other authorities come to see films, get in touch with others and do their own advertisement.
This presence was not without some ups and downs during past years due to some odd changes or wrong decision makings by cinema authorities in Iran. Disorders and changes of interlocutors disappointed somehow “buyers” or faithful festival directors.
In order to give a brief view of what was going on in the market for Iranian stands and usefulness of this market for Iranian cinema, I asked Mohammad Atebbai, the international specialist of Iranian cinema and film distributor (Iranian independents), to bring a conclusion on Iranian filmmakers (from inside and outside Iran) present in different sections of Cannes film festival this year. This conversation was also an opportunity to ask him some questions about Iranian film production and the status of Tehran Fajr film festival which was split in two different events some years ago national and international:
Finally, I should remind that Cannes film festival market which was established in 1959, is the biggest film market in the world and today it welcomes some 12000 participants coming from 118 countries .
