The story of film festivals in Iran is a deeply compelling narrative, tightly interwoven with the country’s socio-political transformations. To truly understand its roots, we must look back to a time when the nation was navigating a heavy atmosphere of political transition following the 1953 Iranian coup d’état.

In the months succeeding August 1953, much of the intellectual community and film journalists sought ways to revive cultural life and offer a breath of fresh air to society. These collective artistic efforts culminated in the establishment of the first “Iranian Cinema Congress” in March 1955, paving the way for the country’s very first domestic film festival.

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The Golrizan Film Festival (1955): Iranian Cinema’s Historic Milestone

The first-ever festival dedicated exclusively to domestic Iranian films, known as the Golrizan Film Festival, took place from March 13 to 19, 1955. It was hosted at the iconic Metropol Cinema, located on the historic Lalezar Street in Tehran. This monumental event marked the first time Iranian cinematic productions were officially judged and awarded.

Key Winners of the First Iranian Film Festival:

• Best Film: “The End of Grievances” (Payan-e Ranj-ha)
• Best Director: Samuel Khachikian for the classic noir thriller “Crossroad of Incidents” (Chaharrah-e Havadeth)
• Best Actor (The first acting trophy in Iranian history): Arman Hovsepian
• Best Actress: Mahin Deyhim for her role in “The End of Grievances”
• Special Tributes: Houshang Beheshti and Monir Taslimi (honored just a year before her passing)

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Toghrul Afshar: The Pioneer of International Film Screening in Iran

While the Golrizan Festival marked the birth of domestic film celebrations, the true pioneer of the festival format in Iran was a visionary film critic named Toghrul Afshar. Widely recognized as the first modern film critic in Iran, Afshar began his journey in film journalism in 1948.

In 1950, at the astonishing age of just 17, Afshar organized a modest yet groundbreaking festival showcasing foreign films at the Crystal Cinema on Lalezar-Now Street. Prior to his initiative, foreign film screenings were exclusively handled by foreign embassies.

Despite heavy political turmoil, Afshar successfully organized four editions of this international showcase. The most significant was the fourth edition in June 1954, held alongside the launch of his film magazine, “Peyk-e Cinema”. The event featured films from nine countries and opened with influential speeches by Afshar himself and Dr. Houshang Kavoosi, another pillar of Iranian film criticism.

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The Tragic End of a Cinematic Visionary

Toghrul Afshar, who was also the nephew of the legendary modern Persian poet Nima Yooshij, was a bold figure. In 1953, he even ventured into acting in the film “Defenceless” (Bi-panah), later writing that he did it solely to closely examine and understand the underlying corruption behind the curtains of the industry.

He was also a fierce defender of cinematic art, famously co-signing a manifesto in November 1953 protesting aggressive audience reactions during the screening of Jean Renoir’s masterpiece, “The River”—a protest that unfortunately led the government to ban the film.

Tratingly, Iran’s first film festival organizer met an early demise. On August 19, 1956, at the age of 23, Toghrul Afshar drowned while swimming in the Caspian Sea at Babolsar. His gravestone bears the moving inscription:

“Here lies Toghrul Afshar, the first film critic in Iran; his calm and noble soul is laid to rest.”