TEHRAN – The 20th International Resistance Theater Festival kicked off on Monday at the Azadi Tower in Tehran.
The beginning of the opening ceremony featured a video screening in memory of Iran’s martyred leader and the martyred commanders of the 12-day and Ramadan wars, IRNA reported.
Speaking at the event, Mohammad Kazemtabar, the festival’s secretary, stated that more than 20 stage productions on the theme of the third imposed war will go on stage during the festival.
Subsequently, Mehdi Shafiei, Deputy Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance for Artistic Affairs, read out the text of his message to the festival:
“Art is an important part of a nation’s memory, and theater, by placing human beings directly alongside one another, is one of the most intimate and impactful languages for narrating history, suffering, hope, and the resistance of nations. The Resistance Theater Festival is not merely an artistic event; it is an opportunity for a part of the historical and lived experience of the Iranian people to be re-read through the language of art and passed on to today’s and tomorrow’s generations.
Resistance is not just a word to describe the days of war; resistance is the culture of standing firm against aggression, injustice, and humiliation; a culture that keeps hope alive in difficult moments and connects humanity to the future.
In recent years, alongside the historical experiences of the Sacred Defense, we have also witnessed difficult days and new wars and threats; days that once again demonstrated how the Iranian people can stand up against hardships, defend their identity and land, and continue to live. In such circumstances, art gains even greater importance. Art can create the human narrative of resistance; the narrative of mothers, fathers, youth, artists, soldiers, rescue workers, medical staff, and all the people who, in hard times, played a role in preserving hope and life. Theater can elevate these narratives beyond the level of news and reports, transforming them into a human and enduring experience.
For this very reason, resistance theater is not merely a representation of historical events; this festival is a platform for discovering new languages, fresh perspectives, and creative narratives of the concept of resistance – a narrative that today’s audience, especially the younger generation, can connect with. Today, more than ever, we need an art that possesses both memory and a horizon; an art that narrates our historical roots while speaking of the future. If the Resistance Theater Festival can use its works to build a bridge between the past and the present, memory and the future, and suffering and hope, then it will transcend being a festival and become a part of the society’s cultural memory.
I hope this festival will serve as a stage for witnessing fresh talents, hearing diverse voices, and creating works that remain in the minds and hearts of the audience, not just during the festival days. I believe that as long as a nation entrusts its narrative to art, no incident can destroy its memory and hope. Resistance theater is the narrative of standing firm; but not merely standing against an aggressor, rather standing against oblivion and despair. We need art so that what has passed upon us is not forgotten, and what we can still build is seen.”
Another part of the ceremony was a tribute to Kourosh Zarei, a cinema, theater, and television artist, in recognition of his years of effort in artistic activities and his dedication to narrating Quranic stories and producing theater centered on the art of the revolution.
Subsequently, Jafar Ghasemi, an artist from Minab, performed a monologue centered on his personal observations of the American-Zionist attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab on February 28.
In a part of the ceremony, the play collection “8 Scenes of the Ramadan War,” compiled by Manouchehr Akbarloo, was unveiled. The collection comprises eight new works by theater writers from across the country, focusing on the events and truths of the Ramadan War.
In the next part of the ceremony, active organizers and instructors of the educational workshops of the 20th edition of the festival were honored.
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