TEHRAN – The 2nd Divine Commander Theater Festival has published details about the plays that will be performed in the official competition.

Over ten plays are scheduled to go on stage during the festival, which was established after the assassination of Commander Qassem Soleimani during a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad on January 3 in memory of the chief of the Quds Force, the overseas arm of Iran’s IRGC.

A highlight of the lineup is “Carnelian”, which will be co-directed by Shahram and Shaahin Soltani. 

“I’ve been searching for a hero for a long time and now, I’ve found one,” Shahram said earlier in an interview with the Persian service of YJC.

“When I was studying the life story of Commander Soleimani, I learned that Hollywood has always been seeking to create heroes, and someone who can easily capture people’s hearts is a hero for the entire world,” he added.

“1:20 am” by Pejman Shahverdi will also go on stage at the festival.

The play depicts Commander Soleimani on one of his visits to a family of one of his soldiers who was martyred in an operation. He asks the family for a photo depicting some people, all of whom have been martyred in the war. The family fails to find a photo, but the commander continues his search.        

“Wave” by Sajjad Mansuri has also been selected to be performed at the festival.

The story of the play is about Gholam, a man who begins searching for a photo that he had taken earlier with an IRGC commander to use in his election campaign for the city council.

Director Morteza Asadimaram will stage “Standing like a Cypress to Watch the Sun” written by Hashem Purmohammadi.

“When the Muscles Turn to Stone” by writer and director Kianush Ahmadi, “Soldier” by Mohammad-Hossein Nazari, “Cold Breathe” by Mohammad Qasemi and “January 3” have also been selected.

The lineup also includes “Quarrel” by Mohammad Davarpanah, “The Sociology of Death” by Asghar Garusi, “Wave” by Sajjad Mansuri, “An Appointment in Damascus” by Nasser Hajibaqeri, “Dragunov” by Doosti Irani and “Tiny Little Birds” by Mohammad-Hamed Esmaeilpur.

The entries were picked by a committee that is composed of Shahram Ahmadzadeh, Mehdi Nasiri and Maziar Rashid-Salehi.

The 2nd edition of the festival will take place in the southern Iranian city of Kerman, Commander Soleimani’s hometown, from December 30 to January 4, 2021.

The Association of the Revolution and Sacred Defense Theater and the Revayat Foundation are the main organizers of the event.

Photo: A poster for the 2nd Divine Commander Theater Festival. 

MMS/YAW