Kazem Nazari on 2023 International Puppet Festival

The message of Kazem Nazari is as follows:

 

In the Name of Almighty

 

The handmade creations of any country are symbols and signs of the intellectual currents and mental and social life characteristics of the inhabitants and each one carries the traditions, beliefs and messages of the cultural identity of the people who have brought forward their history in that climate, generation. And they have established their traditional heritage.

 

Among these historical and cultural symbolic creations are figurines and puppets whose appearance , face, their color and the type and extent of their clothes and even the choice of their name express and represent the lines of thought, wishes, hatreds, joys and in general the mental concerns of the people who create and maintain them.

The performance methods of these figures, which are generally performed  in "puppet shows"; have the same background and function and convey different messages with different names and characters.

 

The character of "Mubarak" has a different identity among the performance methods and puppet characters of ancient and ritual Iran, such as "Khimehashbazi", "Glove", "Shadow game" and..., ".

  And Mubarak, with blessing and happiness like its name, with fun and originality, frankness and elegance of expression, fulfills both its cultural and ritual role and also plans humorous social critiques, through the closest faces and names to folk literature and archetypes of this cultural land, and with a combination of movement, words and music, he takes the audience to the depths of the mental reserves and background of these noble and emotional people and conveys his message with rhythmic words and songs originating from the music of the people of the mountains, plains, bazaars and alleys.

Such an origin and support has now become the place of new and modern creativity of young Iranian performers, with the presence and guidance of experienced veterans, who present themselves at the 19th Tehran-Mubarak International Puppet Festival.

In another part of his message Kazem Nazari said: A festival that, after several years of delay, has emerged as a pure opportunity to observe and learn and synergize with all the activists and experts in this field. It deserves to be filled with critical interactions and discussions of critics, students, and audiences, full of different viewpoints and ideas that pave the way for utilizing the vast capacities of these puppets and their characters, in the matter of "playwriting " and "variety of presentation".

And in the movement and voice of the figures and puppeteers, the voice will reach the ears of those who are familiar with  the subtleties and virtues hidden in the art of drama.