Tag Archives: Germany

Iranian movies at Munich Filmfest

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A lineup of Iranian movies will go on screen from June 23rd to July 2nd in various sections of the 34th Filmfest München.

Asghar Farhadi’s acclaimed drama “The Salesman” will be shown in the CineMasters Competition. The social drama won awards for best screenplay and best actor at the 69th Cannes Film Festival in May.

Two other highlights will go on screen in the International Independents section: “Avalanche” by Morteza Farshbaf and “Yahya Didn’t Keep Quiet” by Kaveh Ebrahimpur.

The festival is also presenting a retrospective of Bahman Ghobadi’s work with films like “A time for drunken horses” (2000), “Turtles can fly” (2004), “No one knows about Persian cats” (2009), and “Rhino season” (2012).

Bahman Ghobadi is an Iranian film director of Kurdish ethnicity born in 1969 in Baneh, near the Iraqi border. He belongs to the “new wave” of Iranian cinema. His first feature film “A time for drunken horses” won the Camera d’Or in Cannes in 2000.

Iranian film “No one knows about Persian Cats” by Bahman Ghobadi (2009)
Iranian film “A time for drunken horses” by Bahman Ghobadi (Zamani barayé masti asbha, 2000)
Iranian film “Avalanche” by Morteza Farshbaf (Bahman, 2015)
Iranian film “Rhino season” by Bahman Ghobadi (Fasle Kargadan, 2012)
Iranian film “The Salesman” by Asghar Farhadi (Forushande, 2016)
Iranian film “Yahya didn’t keep quiet” by Kaveh Ebrahimpour (Yahya sokoot nakard, 2015)

Source: Filmfest München | Iranian Films, Tehran Times

Winners at RoboCup IranOpen 2016 (Photos)

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The 11th edition of RoboCup IranOpen took place at Tehran International Fairground. Around 2000 university and high school students from different countries competed in three categories including humanoids, flying robots and rescuers, divided into different leagues and difficulty levels. A total of 320 teams, 306 from Iran and 14 teams from abroad (Afghanistan, Canada, China, Germany, the Netherlands, Peru, South Korea, United Kingdom and the USA), competed at this event.

The IranOpen has been organized by the Iranian RoboCup National Committee and Qazvin Azad University. The Committee was officially formed in July 2006 with the objective of promoting robotics and artificial intelligence research.

Winners RoboCup Soccer – 2D Simulation League
1st – Nexus 2D (Ferdowsi University Mashhad, Iran)
2nd – Miracle 2016 (Hefei Normal University, China)
3rd – MT2016 (Hefei University, China)
Technical challenge: Shiraz (Shiraz, Iran)

Winners RoboCup Soccer – 3D Simulation League
1st – UTAustinVilla (University of Texas at Austin, USA)
2nd – Apollo3D (Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, China)
3rd – Kylinsky3D (Hohai University Wentian College, China)

Winners RoboCup Soccer – Small Size Robot League
1st – Immortals (Robotics Engineering Center, University of Tehran)
2nd – MRL (Azad University of Qazvin, Iran)
3rd – ZJUNLict (Zhejiang University, China)
Small Size robot soccer (or F180) focuses on the problem of intelligent multi-agent cooperation and control in a highly dynamic environment with a hybrid centralized/distributed system.

Winners RoboCup Soccer – Humanoid League (Adult, teen and kid size)
Adult: 1st – Baset Adult-Size (Baset Pazhuh Tehran Co, Iran)
Teen: 1st – AUTMan Teen (Amirkabir University, Iran / University of Manitoba, Canada)
Kid Size
1st – Bold Hearts (University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom)
2nd – Parand Kid-Size (Azad University of Parand, Iran)
3rd – FUmanoids (Freie Universität Berlin, Germany)

Winners RoboCup Soccer – Standard Platform League
1st – Nao Team HTWK (HTWK Leipzig, Germany)
2nd – DAlnamite (TU Berlin / DAI-Labor, Germany)
Innovation challenge: MRL-SPL (Azad University of Qazvin, Iran)
The RoboCup Standard Platform League is a RoboCup robot soccer league, in which all teams compete with identical robots.

Winners RoboCup Rescue – Rescue Agent Simulation League
1st MRL (Azad University of Qazvin, Iran)
2nd S.O.S (Amirkabir University of Technology Tehran, Iran)
3rd Poseidon (Farzanegan High School Tehran, Iran)
Technical challenge: RAS-ROSHD (Roshd High School Tehran, Iran)

Winners RoboCup Rescue – Rescue Robot League
1st – MRL (Azad University of Qazvin, Iran)
2nd – YRA (Azad University of Yazd, Iran)
3rd – VRU (Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Iran)
Skill, discovery and mobility challenge: MRL
Flying rescue challenge: YRA

Winners RoboCup@Work
1st – ACE IAUK (Azad University of Kerman, Iran)
2nd – MEC (Shariati Technical College Tehran, Iran)

Winners RoboCup Junior – Soccer Open
1st – Helli Afra (Allameh Helli High School 10, Tehran, Iran)
2nd – AMOS (Salam Zeynoddin High School, Iran)
3rd – Allameh Tabatabaei (Allameh Tabatabaei High School)

Winners IranOpenDeminer – Tele-Operated Deminer Robots
1st – YRA (Azad University of Yazd, Iran)
2nd – Pasargad (Amirkabir University of Technology, Iran)
3rd (joint) – SRC (Azad University of Tabriz, Iran) and Malayer University (Malayer University, Hamedan, Iran)

Winners IranOpenDeminer – Small Size Intelligent Deminer Robots
1st – khayyam Robotic (Azad University of Neyshabur, Iran)
2nd – ROBOSINA (Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran)
3rd – RTL (Azad University of Arak, Iran)

Winners IranOpenUAV
1st (joint) – MRL (Azad University of Qazvin, Iran) and KN2C (K.N.Toosi University Tehran, Iran)
3rd – Cyrus UAV (Azad University of Kermanshah, Iran)

Winners IranOpenROV
1st – MRL (Azad University of Qazvin, Iran)
2nd – anZan Of Persian Gulf (Applied Science University of Ahvaz, Iran)

Related articles: The other Iran | Robocup

Video: Mehr News Agency | RoboCup IranOpen 2016

Sources: 2016 IranOpen; Mehr News Agency (MNA) 1; MNA 2; BORNA News; Fars News; IRNA 1; IRNA 2; ISNA 1; ISNA 2 (in Persian); Jam-e Jam Online 1; Jam-e Jam Online 2; dai-labor.de; Baltimore Sun; Epoch Times (in Persian); Facebook | DAI-Labor

Iran’s Fajr International Theatre Festival: Performances

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Fajr International Theater Festival (FITF) is a golden opportunity to enjoy theatre projects from other cultural backgrounds. This year over 300 plays from Japanese, Hungarian, Spanish, German, Norwegian, Polish, French as well as Iranian artists were presented on all theater stages as well as some outdoor public spaces in Tehran.

The members of the jury panel for the international section – Stefan Schmid from Germany, Jerzy Limon from Poland, Oleg Loevski from Russia and Iranians Masoud Delkhah and Farrindokht Zahedi – honored “Hamlet” with two awards; German director Thomas Ostermeier received the Grand Prix of the festival and Lars Eidinger won the Best Actor Award. The play had three completely sold-out performances.

34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Hamlet – Germany
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Hamlet – Germany

Photos: “Hamlet” directed by Thomas Ostermeier, Germany

Norway participated with a powerful performance of Henrik Ibsen’s “Hedda Gabler” by Visjoner Teater, founded by Juni Dahr in 1988. The play was staged at a house and not at a theatre to allow the site specific artistic concept of this production. The shows were sold out, thus an extra performance was organized. Actress and artistic director Juni Dahr won in 2014 the Jury’s FITF Special Prize for “Ibsen Women”.

34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Hedda Gabler – Norway
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Hedda Gabler – Norway
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Hedda Gabler – Norway
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Hedda Gabler – Norway
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Hedda Gabler – Norway
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Hedda Gabler – Norway
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Hedda Gabler – Norway

Photos: “Hedda Gabler” by Visjoner Teater, Norway

“The Shadow Game” written by Koichiro Iizuka and directed by Tatsuya Hasegawa from Japan’s Dazzle Dance Company took the stages by storm with four sold out shows at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall, leaving the audience breathless long after the actors have left the stage.

The play, about the clash between positive and negative energy to highlight the effects of the natural disasters in Japan, used a magnificent combination of street dance, electronic music, theater, elements of video games and anime plot with Japanese commentary all wrapped up in street and contemporary dance styles choreographed by Hasegawa himself. In 2012 Hasegawa’s “Misty Mansion” won the FITF Best Play Award.

34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – The Shadow Game – Japan
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – The Shadow Game – Japan
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – The Shadow Game – Japan
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – The Shadow Game – Japan

Photos: “The Shadow Game” directed by Tatsuya Hasegawa, Japan

Hungary’s “Becoming Butterfly – Conspiracy” written and directed by Zsófia Bérczi, has taken the audience through an existential journey on the wings of imagination and visual aesthetics. There was something universal and deep about the play that made it connect with the audience no matter from which country and culture. “Human beings are not the most beautiful creation on earth, but they are the most beautiful dream of all creations on earth.” Bérczi also staged Living Surface at this year’s festival.

34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Living Surface – Hungary
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Living Surface – Hungary
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Living Surface – Hungary

Photos: “Living Surface” and “Becoming a Butterfly – Conspiracy” directed by Zsófia Bérczi, Hungary

“Peregrinus” from Poland’s KTO Theater is a performance without dialogue, illustrated by music that depicts a single day in the life of an individual of the 21st century. The contemporary “Everyman”, whose life is “suspended” between home and work for a corporation, identifies his or her “pathway through life” as a “pathway to work”. Homo Peregrinus is a formatted human being, stripped of emotionality, predictable and bereft of individual characteristics. Perigrinus’s belongings can be packed in one piece of hand luggage.

34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Peregrinus – Poland
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Peregrinus – Poland
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Peregrinus – Poland
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Peregrinus – Poland
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Peregrinus – Poland
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Peregrinus – Poland
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Peregrinus – Poland
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Peregrinus – Poland

Photos: “Peregrinus” from KTO Theater, Poland

“Katastrophe” and “A House in Asia” were presented by Agrupación Serrano, a Spanish theatre company that creates original productions based on stories drawn from contemporary times, blending stage performance, text, video, sound, and scale models to stage stories about discordant aspects of today’s human experience.

The FITF international section also included “Dance of Death B La La”, a joint Iranian-German production by Iranian director Yaser Khaseb from Crazy Body Group, “Body Revolution” by Belgium based Iraqi director Mokhallad Rasem, the monologue “Monsters” by Laurent Fraunie from France, Georgian “Me-Medea” written and directed by Salome Joglidze and more.

34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Body Revolution – Belgium
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Me-Medea – Georgia
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Monster – France
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Dance of Death B La La – Iran-Germany
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Dance of Death B La La – Iran-Germany
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Dance of Death B La La – Iran-Germany
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Dance of Death B La La – Iran-Germany
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Dance of Death B La La – Iran-Germany
34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran – Dance of Death B La La – Iran-Germany

Photos: 34th Fajr International Theater Festival in Iran

Sources: Mehr News Agency (MNA) 1, MNA 2, MNA 3, MNA 4, Tehran Times 1, Tehran Times 2, srserrano.com, na-weekly.com, fitf.theater.ir, tiwall.com | 34th FITF (in Persian), tiwall.com | Dance of Death B La La (in Persian), teatrktro.pl, Honar Online, swr.de, Facebook | Visjoner Teater, Instagram @crazybodygroup, IRNA, Facebook | Teatr KTO

Iranian documentary wins Amnesty International Film Prize

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Mehrdad Oskouei’s ‘Starless Dreams’ (Royahaye Dame Sobh) along with ‘Fuocoammare’ (Fire at Sea) by Gianfranco Rosi have won the Amnesty International Film Prize at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival. Rosi’s documentary film about the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean off the Italian island of Lampedusa, won also the Golden Bear prize for Best Film.

Oskouei, one of Iran’s best documentary filmmakers, explores in ‘Starless Dreams’ the anguish and joys of girls in a juvenile correctional facility on the outskirts of Tehran. His small, all-male crew spent 20 days talking to the young women who gave them surprising access to their lives and feelings. The film won in Iran the Best Documentary Director Award at the 34th Fajr Film Festival earlier this year.

The German branch of Amnesty International has awarded the Amnesty International Film Prize for the first time at the Berlinale 2005. The aim of the prize is to draw the attention of audiences and representatives of the film industry to the theme of human rights and encourage filmmakers to tackle this topic. German actress Meret Becker, Swiss film maker Dani Levy and Markus Beeko, Director of Campaigns and Communications for Amnesty International Germany were the members of this independent jury at the Berlinale 2016.

Iranian filmmaker Mehrdad Oskouei (1st R) and Italian director Gianfranco Rosi (2nd L) with Jury members Dani Levy (1st L) and Meret Becker (2nd R) in Berlin - Feb 20, 2016. Photo credits: Henning Schacht / Amnesty International

Iranian filmmaker Mehrdad Oskouei (1st R) and Italian director Gianfranco Rosi (2nd L) with Jury members Dani Levy (1st L) and Meret Becker (2nd R) in Berlin – Feb 20, 2016. Photo credits: Henning Schacht / Amnesty International

About Mehrdad Oskouei
Oskouei, an independent producer, filmmaker, photographer and researcher, was born in Tehran, Iran in 1969. He has a B.A. in film direction from the University of Arts, starting in the theatre in 1981 and the film world in 1988. In 2010, Oskouei received the Prince Claus Award from the Netherlands.

Sources: Tavoos Online, Berlinale, Hollywod Reporter, Reuters, Wikipedia | Starless Dreams, Fajr Film Festival (in Persian)

Winners of the 32nd Tehran Short Film Festival (Photos)

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The winners were announced during the closing ceremony of Tehran’s 32nd Short Film Festival held at Andisheh Hall.

The jury members of the International Competition Section were Andrzej Bednarek from Poland, Matthias Flügge from Germany, Seigo Tono from Japan, Gipsy Chang from Hong Kong and Alireza Shoja Noori from Iran.

“A Warm Spell” by Toshimichi Saito from Japan received the Grand Prix of the festival. Best Fiction Film was awarded to “It Will Be Alright” by Patrick Vollrath from Austria. “Songbirds’ Shop” by Anatoliy Lavrenishyn from Ukraine won the Best Animation Award. Best Documentary was awarded to “Touch of Freedom” by Sardar Arshad Khan from Poland.

Jessica Dürwald from Germany received the Best Experimental Award for “Eat My Dream”, “Survival” by Masoud Hatami from Iran won the Special Jury Prize, “Electronic Town” by Tony Mullen from Japan was chosen as the Best Film from Asian Countries. Saeed Nejati from Iran received the Best Film from Islamic Countries Award for “Prohibition” and “Angelus Novus” by Aboozar Amini from Netherlands won the Best Anti-Violence Film Award.

Sources: Tavoos Online, Tehran International Short Film Festival, Fars News, ISNA 1, ISNA 2, Tasnim News, Mehr News

‘Gate of Words’ by German artist Philipp Geist is lighting up the Azadi Tower in Tehran, Iran (Photos)

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A performance consisting of projections of light titled ‘Gate of Words’ by German artist Philipp Geist is taking place at Tehran’s landmark Azadi Tower until October 5th.

The installation artistically visualizes the topics of freedom, peace, space and time in different languages. During the performance Azadi Tower is to become a three-dimensional light sculpture that can be crossed by visitors.

‘I tried to illustrate words one by one to make the reader pay more attention to them. Sometimes, words are legible and sometimes not. Using this method, I make great attempts to make each and every reader have his/her own interpretation of the subject,’ said the German artist.

Facts about Azadi Tower
– It is one of the most familiar landmarks of Tehran.
– The builduing includes a cultural centre with a library, a museum and several art galleries.
– The entrance of the tower is directly underneath the main vault and leads into the Azadi Museum on the basement floor.
– The main display is occupied by a copy of the Cyrus Cylinder (the original is in the British Museum).
– The monument acts as a grandiose gateway to the Iranian capital, and is surrounded by a large plaza (approx. 50,000 m²).
– Built in 1971 in commemoration of the 2,500th anniversary of the Persian Empire, this “Gateway into Iran” was named the Shahyad Tower, meaning “Kings’ Memorial”, but was dubbed Azadi (Freedom) after 1979. It is 50 meters (164 ft) tall and completely clad in cut marble.

Sources: Mehr News Agency, ISNA, IRNA, Borna News, Instagram @videogeist, Tavoos Online, Wikipedia | Azadi Tower

‘The President’, a film by awarded Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf

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Director: Mohsen Makhmalbaf, 2014, Georgia, /France/UK/Germany, 105 minutes,
Cast: Misha Gomiashvili, Dachi Orvelashvili
Festivals: Venice Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival, Warsaw International Film Festival

More info about director Mohsen Makhmalbaf: click here

Persian Film Festival Australia Iran Sidney Movie Trailer The PresidentPlot: In an imaginary village in the Caucasus, a President is on the run with his five-year-old grandson following a coup d’état. The two travel across the lands that the President once governed. Now, disguised as a street musician to avoid being recognized, the former dictator comes into contact with his people, and gets to know them from a different point of view.

The President and his family rule their land with an iron fist, enjoying lives of luxury and leisure at the expense of their population’s misery. When a coup d’état overthrows his brutal rule and the rest of his family flees the country by plane, The President is suddenly left to care for his young grandson and forced to escape. Now the country’s most wanted fugitive with a bounty on his head, The President begins a perilous journey with the boy, criss-crossing the country to reach the sea where a ship waits to bring them to safety. Posing as street musicians and traveling together with the people who suffered for years under the dictatorship, the fallen President and the innocent child will be exposed first hand to the hardships that inspired unanimous hatred for the regime.

Trailer:

Sources: http://www.iranianfilmfestival.org/all-date-list/the-president/ , Youtube

Iran wins 3rd place in FIVB U19 Volleyball World Championship 2015 in Argentina

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An incredible tournament-high production of 40 points from Iranian star Rasoul Aghchehli ejected the Asians to a remarkable bronze medal as they won over previous champions Russia 3-1 (25-17, 26-28, 25-16, 25-23).

Iranian captain worked at their maximum and he completed 36 spikes and 4 blocks, to break all previous records. Rasoul was escorted by Mirbabak Mousavigargari and Aliasghar Mojarad, with 13 and 12 points respectively. On top of that, Rasoul won a terrific battle of opposites over powerful Russian Dmitry Yakovlev, who led his side with 26 tallies. Yakovlev had in middle-blocker Aleksandr Melnikov his best supporter with 13 points, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Iranian machinery.

 

Iran finished second behind Poland on the group stage, winning against Germany on the round of 16 and although they were only a few inches away from elimination, Iran resurged from ashes and achieved a spectacular return to rule out Italy 3:2 (17:25, 22:25, 25:20, 25:20, 15:11) and move to semifinals, where they lost against champion Poland 3:1.

Iran improved his previous run with the step onto the podium, as they were left out on the very verge of it on Mexico 2013, finishing fourth. Russia fell out of the top, as the gold medal will now change hands.

Iran U19 national volleyball team
Iran’s youth team have won seven gold medals and a silver medal – the best record in this age group in the Asian region. Last year, the team earned the qualification ticket to the FIVB Volleyball Boys’ U19 World Championship in Argentina after an unbeaten run in the continental championship. The result is the product of a long-term project of Iran to serve as a farm of talents for the senior men’s team. In the World Championship, Iranian youth have been a consistent force in the final, finishing with a gold medal in 2007, two silver medals in 2001 and 2009, a bronze medal in 2003, and a fourth place finish in the last edition.

Source: 2015 U19 FIVB Men Volleyball Championship | News, FIVB | Press releases, 2015 U19 FIVB Men Volleyball Championship | Iran

Iranian ‘Mehr Theatre Group’ is in Europe performing its new play ‘Hearing’

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The Mehr Theatre Group, an Iranian troupe led by director/writer Amir-Reza Kuhestani, will be performing the play Hearing in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany and France. The show centers on events happening in a girls’ dormitory.

Hearing premiered at Tehran’s City Theater in July before going on stage in Zurich, Switzerland at the Zürcher Theater Spektakel. They are attending the Noorderzon Festival in Groningen, the Netherlands with performances on August 25th and August 26th.

The troupe will next return to Geneva, Switzerland to perform Hearing on August 29th and August 31st at the La Bâtie, a festival of theater performances and film screenings. In September they will be heading to Frankfurt, Germany and Marseille, France. Full schedule: Mehr Theatre Group | Tour dates

About Hearing (Synopsis)
The girls’ dormitory was always like an unattainable castle. […] After the entrance door, a female world begun in which the entree of any man was prohibited. […] Now, presume that in a situation like this, one day, a girl reported that she had heard a man in one of the rooms. This would be the starting point of the performance.
More about the show: Mehr Theatre Group | Hearing

About Mehr Theatre Group
Mehr Theatre Group was created in 1996. The aim was to create a new type of theater — far from the traditional Iranian theater — based on new stage direction and a new acting style influenced by film. At first, Amir Reza Koohestani joined the Mehr Theatre Group to participate in their acting workshop, but after 6 months of the workshop they decided to produce theater productions based on their training. Since Amir was the only one with writing background he dedicated his time to write for the theater. […] The Mehr Theatre Group is today one of the most well known Iranian theater companies in Iran and has gained international acclaim with successful performances across the world. More about the troupe: Mehr Theatre Group

Below, a trailer of Timeloss, their last work before Hearing, also presented at the Under The Radar Film Festival in New York, USA. Other trailers: Mehr Theatre Group | Videos

About Amir Reza Koohestani
Amir Reza Koohestani is one of Iran’s most successful and prolific playwright-directors. With his third play, Dance on Glasses (2001), in tour for four years, Amir Reza Koohestani gained international notoriety and found the support of several European theatrical artistic directors and festivals. In February 2012, the movie Modest Reception, which script was co-written by Koohestani and Mani Haghighi – actor and film director – wins the Netpac Award at the Berlin International Film Festival 2012. He is the first director to win two consecutive awards for the “Best theatre production of the year” in Iran (Ivanov, 2011 and The Fourth Wall, 2012). More about him: Mehr Theatre Group | Amir Reza Koohestani

Related articles: The other Iran | Theater

Sources: Tehran Times | Art Desk, Mehr Theatre Group

Iran’s tech sector displayed its potential in Berlin

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Iranian entrepreneurs and business owners gathered in Berlin for a three-day start-up conference to explore opportunities in Iran’s high-tech sector.

The iBRIDGE Berlin conference was opened by American start-up guru David McClure with a keynote speech to more than 80 business owners coming from Iran, Europe and the US.

The conference attracted over 2,000 attendees and online viewers, aimed at studying the role that a high-tech entrepreneurial ecosystem can play in Iran’s economic development and diversification.

The event featured keynote speeches, panel discussions, dozens of workshops and breakout sessions, as well as touring local start-ups in Berlin, widely regarded as the hub of newly-established businesses in Europe.

According to organizers, the conference was to focus on start-up mentorship, investment guidance and exchange of ideas like branding and marketing of products and services. Panel groups also dwelled on branding design, social innovation, social entrepreneurship in Iran, venture capitalism and big data.

iBRIDGE Berlin is a sequel to iBRIDGE Berkeley, the innovative conference held at the University of California, Berkeley on September 6, 2014.

About iBridges
The iBRIDGES initiative is an open, inclusive and collaborative community, free from any political or ideological affiliations, that works towards bringing to life a diversity of initiatives, platforms and spaces that all tangibly serve to contribute to the development of the high-tech entrepreneurial sector in Iran.  The initiative was started in 2014 as a collective effort of Iranians interested in and involved with high technology entrepreneurship in the US.

Related articles:
The other Iran | Tag | Startup,
The Guardian | From Digikala to Hamijoo: the Iranian startup revolution, phase two,
Financial Times | Iran’s tech sector to display potential in Berlin (PDF),
Reuters | Iranian entrepreneurs thirst for foreign funding, expertise

Sources: Press TV | Economy, iBridges.org

German guitarists joined tar virtuoso Keyvan Saket in Tehran concert

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Seventeen guitarists led by conductor Helmut Oesterreich and supported by German’s Goethe Institute joined Iranian tar and setar virtuoso Keyvan Saket to give a fusion concert at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall.

The program was composed of three sections, the first contained compositions from the Baroque and Renaissance eras. In the second part Keyvan Saket accompanied the group as a soloist. The fusion concert “Meeting East and West in Mirror of Tar and Guitar” had Keyvan Saket, the orchestra and the guitarists performing together on the third section.

Other Germany related articles: https://theotheriran.com/tag/germany/

Sources: Tehran Times | News, Mehr News Agency | Photos, Honaronline.ir | News (in Persian)

Interview with German cellist Anja Lechner about her concerts in Iran

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Anja Lechner, along with François Couturier – a veteran French pianist, previously performed concerts with the Tarkovsky Quartet during the 28th Fajr International Music Festival in Tehran in February 2013 and she also joined Armenian pianist Artur Avanesov in February 2014 to perform Garden II composed by Hushyar Khayyam in Tehran.

The following is an excerpt of an interview with the German musician translated by Iran Front Page:

Ms. Lechner, have you had a good time in Iran?
I must answer your question in one word: absolutely. Its attractiveness has made me travel to Tehran for a third time. During my trips to Iran, I have found it easy to establish a bond with the local culture and traditions. If I research my genealogy, I might come across my Eastern stock.

Were you satisfied with your two performances at Niavaran Cultural Center?
First of all, I found it unusual to stage solo performances for two nights in a row; it’s uncommon even in places where there is a mass audience. All tickets were sold out for the two solo performances, something which I had never experienced throughout my musical career. It struck me as unusual. To me, it’s one of the reasons why I consider performing in Iran appealing.

Anja Lechner in Tehran – April 2015 (Photo: Ali Tajik)
Anja Lechner in Tehran – April 2015 (Photo: Ali Tajik)
Anja Lechner in Tehran – April 2015 (Photo: Ali Tajik)
Anja Lechner in Tehran – April 2015 (Photo: Ali Tajik)

How was your performance received?
What was more important than the packed house was the way the audience formed a bond with us. That how much listeners concentrate on the quality of performance or digest the music in a heartfelt manner differs from audience to audience. For instance, I have not seen it much in Germany or other countries. People there might have considerable knowledge of previous works, but they listen to music, relying more on their prior knowledge than listening to the music. Musicians do not experience what happens in Iran very often; particularly in my case, because I opted for pieces which had not been heard much.

Germany related posts: The other Iran | Germany

Sources: Iran Front Page | Interviews, musicboard.ir | Anja Lechner Apr. 2015 (Photos: Ali Tajik), Mehr News Agency | News, Honaronline.ir | Anja Lechner at Niavaran 2015 (in Persian), Honaronline interview with Anja Lechner (in Persian)

Photo gallery: Iran Fajr Music Festival 2015 – Summary, Winners & Closing Ceremony

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Fajr International Music Festival is Iran’s most prestigious Music Festival founded in 1986. The festival is affiliated with UNESCO and includes national and international competition sections.

Since its establishment, many musicians from several countries like Austria, Germany, France participated in the event. The festival have enjoyed a strong presence of Asian countries as well.

This year ten foreign groups performed 15 concerts. The groups were from USA, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Estonia, Armenia, Tunisia and Iraq:

[Click the names of the artists to see the according posts and photo galleries on this blog]
US American saxophonist and Grammy Award winner Bob Belden and his band Animation
Austria-based German clarinet virtuoso Ulrich Drechsler. Italian jazz pianist Stefano Battaglia.
Italian quartet Maurice led by violinist it Georgia Privera. Laura Bertolino, Francesco Vernero and Aline Privitera are the other members of the quartet. The Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra. German Jazz-pianist and composer Johan Wendt, also known as Joja Wendt.
A string orchestra from Estonia, two duets from Armenia and musicians from Austria and Tunisia. Dutch quartet composed of tenor and soprano saxophonist Yuri Honing, pianist Wolfert Brederode, double bassist Ruben Samama and drummer Joost Lijbaart.

In the National Music section, Mohammad Reza Amou-Javadi was selected as the best composer. While, Kourosh Matin, Keyvan A’laei, Massoud Najafi and Hassan Soleimani were honored.

Houman Rofrof and Mohammad Hadi Ayanbod were jointly awarded as best composers in the non-Iranian Classical Music section. Ali Afshari was also honored. The Hamnavazan ensemble topped the Iranian Classical Music section.

Amir Hossein Ramezani and Maryam Sharifzadeh topped the Music Theses section, while Pirouzan Kouhi was honored.

The Ava-ye Mahan Choir, conducted by Nima Fatehi, was honored as the best vocal.

Sources: wikipedia | Fajr International Music Festival, Tehran Times, Iran Daily, IRNA | Photos, IRIB | Galleries, Tasnim News | Photos

30th Fajr International Music Festival in Iran – Photo gallery (part 2)

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Some of the performers shown in the photo gallery below were covered earlier in this blog. To get some back ground and more photos or videos, please click:
https://theotheriran.com/tag/music/

Click on a photo to open in original size, and navigate through the gallery.

Sources:
IRNA| Photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
ISNA | Photos 1, 2, 3
Tasnim News | Photos 1, 2

German artist Otto Piene’s “Rainbow” exhibited in Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art in Iran

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A collection from the “Rainbow” series by German artist Otto Piene is currently being showcased at Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art.

Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art is hosting a collection of artworks by the German painter, printmaker and environmental artist, as well as the founder of the influential European postwar movement Group Zero Otto Piene.

This is the fourth time this museum hosts German artists’ artworks. But this is Piene’s first ever exhibit in the Middle East which opened at Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art on Tuesday evening, revealing a variety of artworks ranging from paintings to light sculptures, smoke and fire paintings, and beautiful environmental “sky art.”

Sky art is a term he coined in 1969, which allowed him to use landscape and cities themselves as the focal point of his work.

Most of Piene’s works have been inspired by nature and based on the four elements of ‘light, fire, air and earth’ which points to the philosophical viewpoint of this avant-garde artist.

The first galleries of the museum is dedicated to his rainbow works and silkscreen prints. Then his other works are put on display which are the combination of grids with sources of fire (candles, gas-burners) producing smoke-traces and fire paintings, in which the paint was burnt.

One of his works in particular is said to have been specially made for Tehran exhibition. It is the light sculpture inspired by tile works of Imam Mosque which has been created from glass.

With much regret, Piene passed away in July 2014, and did not get the chance to attend the exhibition in Tehran.

He always sought a better world in his dreams and believed his most brilliant work was to light up the dark sky.

The exhibit of this German artist will be running until April 17 at the museum located on North Kargar St., next to Laleh Park.

Sources: Deutsche Welle | Farsi, Deutsche Welle, Mehr News Agency

German animation “Virtuoso Virtual” wins in Tehran International Animation Festival 2015

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The 9th Tehran International Animation Festival was held from March 8 to 12. Over 130 works from across the globe were screened at the event.

German animation “Virtuoso Virtual” directed by Thomas Stellmach and Maja Oschmann has won the top prize in the International section of the 9th Tehran International Animation Festival, the organizers announced on Thursday.

“Virtuoso Virtual” shows some modest drawings that seem to come from nowhere. Following a secret choreography, they take on characteristics and moods of the music and narrate a story that appears to be laid out in the music.

The second prize went “All the Winters I Haven’t Seen”, Iranian animator Omid Khoshnazar’s acclaimed anti-war animation.

It tells the story of a pregnant woman in New York City who discovers that her fetus suffers severe physical defects. Totally unaware of the problem, the mother finds that she has been exposed to chemical weapons, a matter entirely absent from her medical records.

“Coda” directed by Irish animator Alan Holly received the third prize. “Coda” is about the afterlife. It shows some exotic experiences and the possibility of forgiveness.

Iranian animator and writer Mehdi Alibeygi was presented with the special jury award for his surreal short film “Changeover”.

“My Mom Is an Airplane” directed by Yulia Aronova from Russia was crowned best film in the About Children Section.

Award Title Winner Country
1 Golden Statue for the best animation Virtuoso Virtual Thomas Stellmach and Maja Oschmann Germany
2 Silver Statue for the second animation All winters that I haven’t seen Omid Khoshnazar Iran
3 Bronze Statue for the third animation Coda Alan Holly Ireland
4 Golden Statue for the best animation on the theme of children and young adults My Mum Is an Airplane Yulia Aronova Russia
5 Golden Statue for the best student animation Carn Jeff Le Bars France
6 Golden Statue for the best TV production Kung Fu Bunny (Kitchen War) Zhiyong Li China
7 Golden Statue for the best commercial animation Venice / Massi Simone Icaro Massi Italy
8 Special Statue of the jury Change over Mahdi Alibeigi Iran
9 Special Statue of the director of the festival —- Alexander Petrov Russia
10 Honorary diploma Green Fields Benjamin Vedrenne France
11 Honorary diploma Indah Citra Pierre-Antoine Naline, Sarah Feruglio, Maxime Orhnial, Anthony Oliveira France

Sources: Payvand News, Tehran International Animation Festival, TIAF | Photos

Italian jazz pianist Stefano Battaglia performed in Iran

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The two-part rendition by the famous Italian pianist Stefano Battaglia and the renowned German clarinet player Ulrich Drechsler saw music fans fill the hall leaving no vacant seats.

The duet, performed Saturday night, in the international section of the festival at Tehran’s Rudaki Hall, had the audience mesmerized for the high quality musical by the two virtuosos, IRNA reports.

Read more what Ulrich Drechsler said about Iran and Iranians here

Sources: Italian Embassy Tehran, Financial Tribune, IRNA | Photos

 

Austria-based German clarinet virtuoso Ulrich Drechsler: “I like Iranians for their kindness, politeness, and hospitality.”

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Austria-based German clarinet virtuoso Ulrich Drechsler attended the 30th Fajr International Music Festival in Iran.

Austria based German clarinet virtuoso Ulrich Drechsler

Austria based German clarinet virtuoso Ulrich Drechsler

“I am addicted to food. When I came to Iran and a friend took me to a restaurant in northern district of Tehran and had kebab with a taste of saffron, I was in high spirits,” Ulrich Drechsler told the Persian service of ISNA on Sunday.
“Pomegranate juice and saffron ice cream, these are incredible and awesome. You make use of a variety of spice and vegetables in your food. I think I would own a restaurant in Iran if I could come back to this world once again,’ he exclaimed.

He continued that this is his second trip to Iran and hoped to return again in spring or summer.

“I have only stayed in Tehran during these days and have got to know only a little part of your culture. My friends have shown beautiful places like the Music Museum of Iran, and I was surprised to see such numbers of Iranian musical instruments,” he stated.

“I must say that the main thing in my life is my family, then food and after that music. I have fallen in love with Iranian life and the Iranian mentality,” he stated.

Drechsler also noted that he has got familiar with Iranian traditional music through works of Kayhan Kalhor, the famous Kamancheh (knee fiddle) player, and is a big fan of his works. He believes that music in Iran comes from the heart of the players so the factor of emotion “is so prominent in it.” Coming for the second time to Iran, he said, “I like Iranians for their kindness, politeness, and hospitality.”

Ulrich Drechsler and Italian jazz pianist Stefano Battaglia have given two performances at the festival, which will come to an end on February 20.

The Iranian audience was highly entertained by a series of lullabies that Ulrich Drechsler performed at his concerts during the festival.

All posts about Music and foreign musicians in Iran on this blog:
https://theotheriran.com/tag/music/

Sources: Financial Tribune, Tehran Times

German Jazz pianist and composer Joja Wendt performed in Iran

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German Jazz pianist and composer Johan Wendt aka Joja Wendt performed in Iran at the 30th Fajr International Music Festival.

Joja Wendt surrounded by Iranian fans
Joja Wendt surrounded by Iranian fans
Joja Wendt in airport of Tehran, Iran
Joja Wendt practicing in Vahdat Hall
Joja Wendt performing in Vahdat Hall
Joja Wendt at the Bazaar
Tomb of Iranian poet Hafez in Shiraz
Goethe was inspired by Hafez in his “West-östlicher Diwan”

Check out the other performances in the Fajr International Music Festival here (lots of interesting photos)

Sources: Tehran Times, jojawendt.com, imdb.com, German Embassy in Tehran, IRNA | Photos

 

Iran finishes 4th in Indoor Hockey World Cup after losing to Germany (this year’s host and winner of the last 3 World Cups)

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https://i0.wp.com/payvand.com/news/15/feb/Iran-Germany-Indoor-Hockey-World-Cup.jpg

Photo from Iran-Germany game

The Netherlands took the gold medal in the men’s final of the Indoor Hockey World Cup thanks to a 3-2 triumph against Austria.

The Iranian team finished fourth but surpassed all expectations.

Iran, ranked 10th in the FIH Indoor World Rankings, caused one of the biggest shocks in Indoor World Cup history by hammering Russia and booking a ticket to the semi-finals.

Sources: Payvand News of Iran, Wikipedia | Indoor Hockey World Cup, Fédération Internationale de Hockey

Book from Female German Iran traveller Helena Henneken – THEY WOULD ROCK

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Have you ever stood on the “axis of evil?”
Taken a look around? And met people who live there? This book invites you to do so! A journey, 59 days in Iran. A woman with her backpack, cross-country.
Unexpected experiences, impressions, discoveries
…
People, who tell “we are terrorists”-jokes – and spontaneously invite foreigners to stay with their families. People who seek an exchange with the world – even though they often disappear behind their country’s image.
…
“If my people lived in another country, they would rock!” – that’s how a 16-year-old Iranian pictures the situation. Just one of several encounters: Helena Henneken has written a love-rock-song about the people she met in Iran.
…
A colourful insight into the world behind the scarf. And a book that starts “from the back” – the Persian way around.


they would rock - 59 Tage Iran

More about the book: www.theywouldrock.com
Design: Frizzi Kurkhaus
Publishing house: GUDBERG
ISBN: 978-3-943061-36-9

http://www.helenahenneken.com/?page_id=806

German Iranologist Heidemarie Koch honored in Tehran

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The Persian literary monthly Bokhara paid tribute to German Iranologist Heidemarie Koch, author of “Persepolis, Shiny Capital of the Persian Empire”, during a ceremony at the Mahmud Afshar Foundation in Tehran on Thursday.


Heidemarie Koch smiles during the ceremony in Tehran on May 29, 2014. Archaeologist Guntram Koch, who is Heidemarie’s husband, is also seen in the photo.

Speaking at the ceremony, Heidemarie Koch, a professor of Iranian Studies at the University of Marburg, talked about her interest in archaeology and the history of Iran.

She said that she was a teacher of mathematics but became familiar with archeology when she married Guntram, who was studying archaeology at university.

Her interest in archaeology led her to study in that field and then she learned Persian and began her studies about Iran.

“It took a long time for me to travel to Iran and see Persepolis. When I was asked if what I saw was like what I read about Iran, I was happy to say yes. I visited Persepolis several times afterwards but still I like it,” she added.

http://www.payvand.com/news/14/may/1184.html