TEHRAN –The 17th edition of Iran International Documentary Film Festival Cinéma Vérité will be dedicating a special section to Gaza, the organizers have announced. 

This section will feature a selection of documentaries focused on Gaza, shedding light on the ongoing issues in Palestine. Additionally, a panel discussion will take place, featuring international professors and filmmakers who will discuss the humanitarian consequences of the crisis, documentary filmmaking techniques, and more, IRNA reported on Saturday. 

The Gaza section aims to highlight both well-known documentaries previously screened at the festival and new productions in this field.

More information regarding the documentary lineup and the panel participants will be announced soon.

The 17th Cinéma Vérité is scheduled to be held in Tehran from December 18 to 23.  

Organized by the Documentary & Experimental Film Center (DEFC), the festival aims to represent the history and culture of Iranian Islamic society and present a real picture of what human is facing today in his/her individual and social life through documentary films.

With this objective, the special focus of this edition of the festival is on two national and international challenges: the water crisis and population issues.

This year, in addition to Tehran's Charsu Cineplex, which is the festival's main venue, the festival's films will also be screened at the Film Museum of Iran.

Earlier in September, the festival’s organizers announced that a total of 2,454 documentaries from around the world have been submitted to the event.

From among the total submissions, 615 works are from Iran and 1,839 foreign documentaries have also been received.

The foreign films have been submitted from Turkey, China, the U.K., Russia, Poland, Spain, Egypt, Argentina, Indonesia, and Germany among others.

The 17th edition of the festival includes national competition, international competition, Martyr Avini Award, national and international side sections and commemoration.

Since October 7, when Hamas unexpectedly started Operation Al-Aqsa Storm in the occupied territories in reaction to the Israeli regime’s increased atrocities against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, Israel has been bombing Gaza.

It is reported that about 13,000 Palestinians, including 5,500 children, have been killed in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip since 7 October.

Israel's relentless bombings on Gaza have taken an alarming toll on the lives of the civilian population. The sheer number of casualties, especially children, is deeply concerning and highlights the immense suffering inflicted upon the Palestinian people.

SAB/