TEHRAN -- The 12th Iran Cinema Celebration paid homage to veteran cinematic figures in a ceremony held at the Aseman Art and Cultural Complex on Friday evening.

Actor Jamshid Mashayekhi, filmmakers Bahram Beizaii and Seifollah Daad and stage designer Kazem Fariborzi were the figures who were honored.
The ceremony began with the opening speech of the spokesman of the House of Cinema Amin Tarokh.
“This honoring ceremony is only a response to our own desire, that is to respect the great masters of cinema,” he said.
Managing director of the house Mohammad-Mehdi Asgarpur also gave a short address and said, “We must provide the facilities to produce high quality works. Many works are produced each year of which some are of good quality, but others are inferior.”
He also noted that the equipment used by filmmakers is getting too old and that they need to be changed out, adding, “We can also strengthen the different cinema guilds which would help a great deal.”
Afterwards, stage designer Majid Mirfakhraii was called upon to hand out the gold trophy of the House of Cinema to veteran stage designer Fariborzi.
Fariborzi also paid his respects to the audience and said, “I hope that in the honoring ceremonies, the back stage crew would not be forgotten.”
Next, filmmaker Sirus Alvand presented the gold trophy to Seifollah Daad and said that he experienced the meaning of freedom during filmmaking in the time Daad was deputy Culture Minister for Cinematic Affairs.
Daad also expressed hope that Iran’s cinema achieves the high position in the world that it truly deserves.
Filmmakers Masud Kimiaii and Ali Nasirian were next to speak and handed the gold trophy to Mashayekhi. Nasirian said, “Mashayekhi is the icon of experimental work. He developed this type of cinema with his own talent and I am happy that tonight he is being honored.”
Filmmaker Nasser Taqvaii also handed out the gold trophy to Bahram Beizaii.
The ceremony ended with a tribute paid to veteran cinematographer Asghar Shahverdi who is still bedridden as a result of a car accident.
Photo: Actor Jamshid Mashayekhi (R) receives a lifetime achievement award of the 12th Iran Cinema Celebration from actor Ali Nasirain during a ceremony at the Aseman Art and Cultural Complex on September 5. (Fars/Hossein Slamnzadeh)