Iranian Cinema Organization President Raed Faridzadeh has appointed Hamed Jafari as secretary of the 38th International Film Festival for Children and Youth.
According to the Public Relations Department of the Iranian Cinema Organization, Faridzadeh issued a decree appointing Jafari, managing director of the Farabi Cinema Foundation, as secretary of the festival’s 38th edition.
The decree addressed to Jafari reads:
“In view of your expertise, and experience, you are hereby appointed secretary of the 38th International Film Festival for Children and Youth.
Given the country’s current circumstances and in the aftermath of the two recent imposed wars, cinema for children and young people is of great importance and represents a strategic platform for conveying cultural identity, social hope, humanitarian concepts, and national values to future generations. You are therefore expected to ensure that this major national and international event provides a platform for strengthening awareness, responsibility, and cultural cohesion among children and young people across the Islamic Republic of Iran.
It is hoped that, with the assistance of Almighty God and through the adoption of appropriate measures to improve the quality of works produced for children and young people—the country’s most vital assets—as well as by drawing on the experience of previous editions, assessing existing capacities, working closely with the festival’s esteemed Policy Council, and securing the active participation of cinema professionals in this field, this major national and international event will be held in a distinguished and successful manner.”
Jafari is the managing director of the Farabi Cinema Foundation and a film and animation producer. He holds a master’s degree in business administration with a focus on cultural industries, as well as a degree in economics.
He began his professional career as an animation producer in 2008 and has been a member of the Iranian Film Producers Guild and the Iranian House of Cinema since 2012.
Jafari previously served as secretary of the 37th International Film Festival for Children and Youth. His professional credits also include producing several of the highest-grossing and most widely viewed animated films in Iranian cinema, including Princess of Rome, The Elephant King, and Smart Kid.