TEHRAN – The organizers of the 16th edition of the Resistance International Film Festival have said that some Palestinian film events are seeking better ties with the Iranian festival.

In a letter sent to the Resistance festival executive Ahad Mikailzadeh, Mofeed Abu Shamala, the CEO of the Red Carpet Human Rights Film Festival in Gaza who is also the chief editor of Gaza’s Al Mujtama newspaper, has expressed his thanks to the organizers of the event and called upon them to sign a memorandum of understanding, the organizers announced on Friday.

The Red Carpet Human Rights Film Festival in Gaza presents short, feature, documentary and animated films on regional and global humanitarian issues. The first edition took place in May 2015.

Mikailzadeh and Abu Shamala and Ibrahim Muslim, the director of the International Film Festival on Nakba and Return, also held a video conference, discussing a number of plans to expand relations among the three resistance films events in the region.

They reached an agreement to screen the entries to the 16th Resistance International Film Festival in Palestine shortly after the original event.

The organizers announced earlier that the festival has been warmly welcomed internationally as they have received over 1200 submissions from filmmakers from around the world.

They said that they have received 1260 submissions from filmmakers in Central America, South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. 

With 460 films, Asian filmmakers have sent the most submissions. With 248 films, Indian filmmakers are on the top of the list.

The festival has also received 325 films from European filmmakers. Most of the movies are from Spanish directors who have sent 30 submissions to the event.

The festival, which will take place in Tehran from September 21 to 27, has dedicated a section titled “Health Defenders” that will screen movies on medical workers and their endeavors on the front lines of the campaign against COVID-19.

It has so far received 372 submissions in this category from around the world.

An exhibition of photos and posters on the medical workers will be also organized on the sidelines of the festival.

Photo: A poster for the 16th Resistance International Film Festival.

MMS/YAW