Veteran Iranian theater, film, and television actor Majid Mozaffari received a First-Class Artistic Certificate at a ceremony held at the Seifollah Dad Hall of the Iranian Cinema Organization.
The ceremony brought together filmmakers, artists, and cinema officials to honor Mozaffari’s more than five decades of contribution to Iranian performing arts and cinema.
Raed Faridzadeh, President of the Iranian Cinema Organization, said honoring Mozaffari was, in effect, a tribute to Iranian cinema itself.
“At your level, receiving this certificate actually adds prestige to the certificate itself,” Faridzadeh told the veteran actor.
He said Mozaffari’s performances have become part of Iran’s collective cultural memory, referring to films including Samuel Khachikian’s The Cheetah, Bahram Beyzaie’s The Passengers and Killing Mad Dogs, as well as The Tanker Wars and The Angelica.
“Honoring you means honoring an important part of our cultural identity,” Faridzadeh said, expressing hope that audiences would continue to see Mozaffari’s strong presence on the big screen.
Seyyed Mohammad Mehdi Tabatabaeinejad, deputy for evaluation and supervision at the Iranian Cinema Organization, described Mozaffari as an enduring figure in Iranian art and cinema, praising a career spanning more than half a century.
Other speakers also reflected on Mozaffari’s contribution to Iranian cinema. Mohammad Reza Sharifinia highlighted his collaborations with major filmmakers, while producer and director Ali Akbar Saghafi praised his professionalism and commitment on film sets. Actress
Shaghayegh Farahani said she had followed Mozaffari’s performances as a student of acting and had learned from his work “shot by shot.”
Niki Mozaffari, the actor’s daughter, thanked the Iranian Cinema Organization for recognizing her father’s decades of work.
“Recognition and encouragement have no age limit,” she said. “Whether for a child or someone at any stage of life, being seen can create new hope and motivation.”
Speaking after receiving the certificate, Majid Mozaffari recalled the difficult early years of his career in theater and cinema and thanked officials for acknowledging his work.
“I have worked very hard for cinema,” he said, adding that he was proud of the filmmakers and artists he had worked with throughout his career, including Bahram Beyzaie, Mohammad Bozorgnia, and Kianoush Ayari.
Mozaffari also drew attention to the financial difficulties facing many veteran artists, calling for greater support for those who are unemployed or no longer able to work regularly.
In an emotional conclusion, he dedicated his artistic certificate to his daughter Niki.
“Parents are always their children’s heroes, but there comes a time when children become the heroes of their parents’ lives,” he said. “After my wife passed away, Niki became the hero of my life. I dedicate this award to her with all my heart.”
The First-Class Artistic Certificate was presented to Mozaffari in recognition of his decades of influential work in theater and cinema.
Majid Mozaffari’s First-Class Artistic Certificate was presented by Raed Faridzadeh, Mohammad Reza Sharifinia, Jamshid Jahanzadeh, Seyyed Mohammad Mehdi Tabatabaeinejad, Seyyed Rouhollah Hosseini, Shahrzad Rastani, and Abolfazl Sadeghinejad in recognition of his decades of influential work in theater and cinema.
Other attendees at the ceremony included Ebrahim Daroughezadeh, Farzaneh Neshatkhah, Fatemeh Mohammadi Sijani, Mohammad Tayyeb, Seyyed Hojjat Tabatabaei, Masoud Najafi, Alireza Esmaeili, Ali Ghaemmaghami, Bahman Habashi, Mojtaba Behzadian, and Mansoureh Vafari.
Before the ceremony, a restored and color-corrected version of Bahram Beyzaie’s The Passengers, preserved by the National Film Archive of Iran, was screened for attendees.