TEHRAN – The Film Museum of Iran plans to screen a restored version of “Ferdowsi”, a biopic directed about the Persian poet by Abdolhossein Sepanta in 1934.

The film, restored by the Film Archive of Iran, will be showcased at the Ferdows Hall of the museum at 5 pm on Sunday on the eve of Ferdowsi Day.

The screening will be followed by a review of the film by critic Alireza Mahmudi. 

Sepanta made the film after “Lor Girl”, the first sound film ever produced in the Persian language. It was produced by Ardeshir Irani and Sepanta under the Imperial Film Company in Bombay.

Ferdowsi, the poet of the epic Persian masterpiece Shahnameh, is celebrated every year on the 25th of Ordibehesht, which is Ferdowsi and Persian Language Commemoration Day on the Iranian calendar.

This year’s celebration for the day will fall on May 15.

Among the programs designed to celebrate Ferdowsi and Persian Language Commemoration Day is a seminar that will be held at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad on May 14 and 15.

The main part of the 2023 commemoration for Ferdowsi will be held on the eve of Ferdowsi Day at his tomb in Tus. 

A number of musical and dramatic performances will be held and verses from the Shahnameh will be read during a meeting that will be organized.   

Groups of schoolchildren have been invited to tour the tomb of Ferdowsi and their teachers will give them relevant information.

Photo: A poster for a screening of a restored version of director Abdolhossein Sepanta’s 1934 biopic “Ferdowsi” about the composer of the epic Persian masterpiece Shahnameh.  

MMS/YAW