Mohammad Reza Khaki:
Festivals Not Dependent on Individuals
Mohammad Reza Khaki, director and author, expressed hope the 36th Fadjr International Theater Festival would be held successfully although time to holding of the event was limited and making the task difficult.
Mr Khaki told Iran Theater that appointment of Farhad Mohandespour as the new secretary of the festival would not have huge impact on the event because the festivals were result of long planning rather than being depended on an individual as manager.
He added that the festival would have its 36th edition which could be seen as mature and grown-up like a 36-year-old man.
Mr Khaki said that the international section of the festival was of more importance for its audience members, who were usually from the educated middle class because Fadjr festival was the broadest and most diverse theater festival of the Middle East. “Unfortunately, it cannot meet the expectation of theater community and lovers,” he argued.
Emphasizing on importance of long-term planning and adapting it with the realities of the country’s theater, Mr Khaki said that one of the problems facing the festival could be budget but that would be common all over the world and could be solved through making planning ahead for every two years.
The university professor regretted that Fadjr festival’s planning start late each year, stressing that he would have always said that Fadjr Theater Festival should have permanent secretariat and its planning should not be dependent on its secretary.
The director said that most of managers ignore the experience of the past secretaries and want to start the festival from point zero, which could be a challenge for the country’s culture and the festival.