Selection and Judging Committee for Playwriting Competition

According to the festival's public relations office, Nader Borhani Marand, Ali Khodsiayani, and Mahdi Simriz, each a distinguished figure in the theater world, have been appointed members of the Selection and Judging Committee for the Playwriting Competition. Their extensive experience and knowledge will ensure a fair and thorough evaluation of the submitted scripts for this section of the 29th International Theater Festival for Children and Youth, held in Hamedan.

Nader Borhani Marand is a writer, director, and university professor in theater. In recent years, he has served as director for two sessions of the Fajr International Theater Festival and the International "Alef Theater" Festival. He has written and directed numerous theatrical works, including Birth, Autumn, Chista, Tehran under the Angels' Wings, Nightmares of a Retired, Cowardly Traitor, If the Rain Wills, Sardar, In the Dreams of Others, Writing for the Shadows, Death of a Salesman, The Wild Duck, The Old Razor, The Island, The Forbidden Hunting Ground, Romulus the Great, Hollywood Dream, In the Dreams of Others, and many more. He has also served as editor, writer, and director for hundreds of radio plays. He has directed tele-theater productions such as A Little Secret, The Old Razor, The Last Ghazal, and The Olive Garden, as well as written TV series like Cold Fire and The Letters, further contributing to his extensive background in the arts.

Ali Khodsiayani is also a well-known figure who has been active in screenwriting, playwriting, and acting in recent years. He has authored numerous radio plays, television series, and films and has extensive experience producing, directing, and writing novels. Additionally, he is a seasoned educator in screenwriting and playwriting.

The third committee member, Mahdi Simriz, is a prolific writer, director, and educator in theater. His body of work includes over forty plays and novels, such as A Thousand-Year-Old Loneliness, The Dream of a Horse Named Shabrang, Children of Heaven, Sara's Story, and The Magic Lamp.

The Playwriting Competition at the 29th International Theater Festival for Children and Youth is not just a platform for showcasing talent, but a dedicated effort to foster high-quality scripts. The competition will take place in two stages, each designed to inspire and motivate playwrights to produce their best work.

The 29th "International Theater Festival for Children and Youth – Hamedan," by artistic directed by of Amir Mashhadi Abbas and organized by the Dramatic Arts Center of Iran of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, with the support of Hamedan Municipality and in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Hamedan Province and the Iranian Performing Arts Association, will be held in the historical city of Hamedan in November 2024. The festival slogan is "Theater: A Dialogue Without Borders." The festival aims to "foster empathy and cooperation, as well as the growth, awareness, and confidence of Iranian children through the art of theater."

Other objectives of the 29th International Theater Festival for Children and Youth include

• "realizing the social participation of children and youth,"
• "promoting public culture,"
• "strengthening the foundations of family and intergenerational communication,"
• "citizenship education and enhancing responsibility by encouraging active participation of Iranian children and youth in theatrical productions."