TEHRAN – The Film Museum of Iran kicked off a program on Saturday presenting movies on Muharram mourning rituals and the tragedy of Ashura.

Ten movies have been chosen to be screened in the first ten days of the lunar month of Muharram, during which Shia Muslims commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions who were killed in 680 CE in Karbala in the course of their valiant stand against the injustices of the oppressive Umayyad dynasty.

The program, which is open to the general public, commenced by screening Shahram Asadi’s 1995 movie “The Fateful Day”, which is an adaptation of a play by Bahram Beizai about a story set during Ashura.

A Christian converts to Islam for the love of a Muslim girl. At the wedding, he hears voices calling for help. He leaves the ceremony and takes a journey to Karbala, but he arrives the end of the Battle of Karbala after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions.

The program will go on with “Never”, a movie composed of four episodes, each one recounting stories on the Ashura culture in the modern world.

The film was directed by Hadi Naiji, Danesh Eqbashavi, Ruhollah Hejazi and Hadi Moqaddamdoost in 2016.

Rasul Mollaqolipur’s acclaimed movie “Flying in the Night” will be screened on the third day. 

The winner of the best film Crystal Simorgh at the 1986 Fajr International Film Festival centers on an Iranian battalion that is surrounded by the enemy during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. 

The battalion’s connection to the headquarters is cut off. Four soldiers are selected to go to the headquarters to bring help, and three of them are martyred. The commander decides to prepare water for the injured soldiers, but he is also martyred. Auxiliary forces arrive, fight against the enemy, and save the other remaining soldiers.   

The lineup also features Mollaqolipur’s “Horizon”, which also tells a story from the Iran-Iraq war.

Dariush Yari’s documentary “Geography of a History” will also be screened. The film chronicles the journey of Imam Hussein and his household from Medina to Mecca and then to Kufa, which resulted in the Battle of Karbala.

The museum also will screen “Evening of the 10th Day” by Mojtaba Raei, “Incurable Wounds” by Kianush Dalvand, “Ziba and I” by Fereidun Hassanpur, “Red Robin” by Parviz Sheikh-Tadi, and “White Wings” by Mehdi and Nasser Hashemi.

An exhibition entitled “Cinema and Muharram” is also showcasing the films’ posters and stills on the sidelines of the program. 

Photo: A poster for a program designed by the Film Museum of Iran to commemorate the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions. 

MMS/YAW