Fans take hats off to Sinaii

Iranian filmmaker Khosro Sinaii was honored by his fans during a ceremony held by Tehran Municipality’s Art and Culture Organization and the Shahr Image Development Institute on May 19.

The ceremony, which was held at Tehran’s Honar Cultural Center, was attended by his friends and a number of cultural figures who delivered speeches about the filmmaker.

As a part of the program, the organizers screened the documentary about Sinaii, “Dancing with camera”, which was produced by his daughter. Before the screening of the documentary, Sinaii thanked producer Reza Mirkarimi, the Tehran Municipality’s Art and Culture Organization, and the Shahr Image Development Institute, saying, “I think that tonight is my daughter’s night. I was only an actor in her film, and I told her, ‘forget that I am your father and consider me only as the subject of your film’.”

Sinaii remarked “Celebs children have to make a life-long effort to prove themselves… Chaplin’s son and Picasso’s children suffered from the heavy shadow… Fortunately, I have not become so famous that my family cannot bear my shadow. My wives and children, everyone, make their way successfully by themselves,” he added.

Sinaii, 67, is the writer and director of many feature-length films, documentaries and short films. His credits include “Like a Tale” (2006), “Carpet, Horse, Turkmen” (2006), “Talking with a Shadow” (2005), “Bride of Fire” (2000), “Alley of Fall” (1997), “In the Alleys of Love” (1991), “The Beloved is home” (1988), and “Long Live” (1979)

Sinaii is also a skilful composer and accordion virtuoso and has composed soundtracks for his own films.

“A kind of nostalgia is felt in his works. A tendency towards echoing the works of Attar and Beihaqi (classical Iranian literary figures) is also very noticeable. He differs from his own generation on account of these characteristics,” documentarian Mohammadreza Aslani remarked.

“I’m proud to be the student of a person who is a credit to Iranian documentary cinema. I’m also happy that his fans have flocked to the Honar Cultural Center to praise their great master,” said Mehrdad Oskuii who is another documentary filmmaker.

The film crew of “Dancing with Camera” was also honored during the ceremony.