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| Niki Karimi & Hadi Hejazifar |
A heated debate took place during the press conference of the Turkish-Persian language film Atabay, which was screened at Iran's Fajr Film Festival. Screenwriter Hadi Hejazifar responded to a journalist who criticized the film being made in Turkish, calling the journalist's views "fascist thinking."
Atabay, a film made in Turkish and Persian, was particularly in the spotlight due to its director and producer, Niki Karimi, and has attracted the attention of both the Iranian press and cinema enthusiasts. Atabay is Karimi's fifth film as a director, following her international fame as an actress.
The press conference for the film was held on the seventh day of the 38th Fajr Film Festival, on Friday. During the conference, film journalist Amir Farzullahi objected to the film being made in Turkish.
The journalist asked: "The official language of Iran is Persian. How is it that Iranian viewers have to watch an Iranian film with Persian subtitles in Iran?"
Director Niki Karimi pointed out that not enough films have been made in various languages spoken in Iran.
"Actually, I don't accept that the language of films must necessarily be Persian. In fact, in my opinion, we have done very little work in the various languages spoken in Iran. Who says we must necessarily make films in Persian?" the Iranian film star asked.
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Sahar Dolatshahi and Hadi Hejazifar (Atabay film) |
Hadi Hejazifar, the screenwriter and lead actor of Atabay, labeled the journalist's views as "fascist thinking."
"I am speaking to you as a Turk. I am speaking to you as the writer of the film. Your thinking is fascist thinking..." Hadi Hejazifar told the journalist, who tried to interrupt and continued speaking loudly. "You and no one else have the right to degrade the Turkish language. According to the Constitution of Iran, Turkish literature should be taught in Turkish at universities. I feel sorry for you, and I unequivocally say that your view is a fascist view. I say this loudly. The separatist ideas that have emerged are also a product of this mindset."
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| Javad Ezati |
Hadi Hejazifar's remarks were published in the Iranian press, including in the state agency IRNA.
Theatre director, screenwriter, and actor Hadi Hejazifar is originally from Khoy, in the West Azerbaijan province. In recent years, he has played leading roles in several Iranian films.
The actors Javad Izatti and Sahar Dowlatshahi, who also starred in Atabay, have become among the most popular figures in Iranian cinema in recent years. The film's music was composed by renowned composer Hossein Alizadeh.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
İranın Fəcr Kino Festivalında ‘türkcə film’ polemikası