Closing Ceremony of the 29th International Theater Festival for Children and Youth – Hamedan
The closing ceremony of the 29th International Theater Festival for Children and Youth in Hamedan took place on the morning of Thursday, November 7, with the attendance of festival organizers, participating artists, and an enthusiastic local audience.
The closing ceremony of the 29th International Theater Festival for Children and Youth in Hamedan took place on the morning of Thursday, November 7, with the attendance of festival organizers, participating artists, and an enthusiastic local audience.
Amir Mashhadi Abbas, artistic director of the 29th International Theater Festival for Children and Youth, emphasized the importance of fostering hope, stating, "Instilling hope is the key to transforming children into successful adults. Hope and inspiring hope are central themes of this festival, aligning with the goals of the second phase of the Islamic Revolution."
He added, "For a week during the festival in Hamedan, we worked to create hope and joy for thousands of children, teenagers, and their families, aiming to brighten their spirits."
Mashhadi Abbas further highlighted the dedication of theater groups despite limited resources, saying, "We hope authorities will also support the art of theater and nurture hope in the hearts of artists."
Statements by Deputy Minister of Arts
Nadereh Rezaei, Deputy Minister for Artistic Affairs of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, expressed her joy at attending the festival during her first provincial trip in this role. She remarked, "I am delighted to be part of this significant event in Hamedan. I extend my gratitude to all the artists and participants, as well as the festival organizers, including the Hamedan Governorate, the Director-General of Performing Arts, the Municipality of Tehran, and the Hamedan Department of Culture and Islamic Guidance."
She added, "This festival has come a long way, with Hamedan hosting 21 editions. Moving forward, I count on the continued support of parliament members and the Hamedan municipality. Enhancing the quality of performances and encouraging the return of prominent theater figures are crucial steps."
Rezaei concluded, "I hope that next year, as we celebrate the borderless dialogue of theater, we can discuss the growth, awareness, and social engagement of our youth. I also hope that in the future, a young person will take this stage to voice their aspirations instead of me. We are committed to improving venue facilities and enhancing the overall quality of the festival with more targeted programs."
Honoring Veteran Theater Artist Hossein Safi
As part of the ceremony, veteran Hamedan theater artist Hossein Safi was honored for his decades of contribution to the field. The tribute was attended by Hamid Malanouri Shamsi, Governor of Hamedan; Nadereh Rezaei, Deputy Minister for Artistic Affairs; Hamid Nili, Director-General of Performing Arts; Seyyed Masoud Hosseini, Mayor of Hamedan; and Hamidreza Haj Babai, Member of Parliament.
In his acceptance speech, Safi expressed gratitude to the festival organizers and remarked, "I deeply appreciate all the mentors who deserve to be here, while I stand on this stage. Theater is about creation and performance, and if a festival cannot promote thought and creativity, it faces a fundamental issue. I wish we could introduce a 'New Perspectives' section to the festival."
The ceremony also included the announcement of winners in various categories.
Winners of the 29th International Theater Festival for Children and Youth – Hamedan
Story Playwriting Competition (Under 18 years old)
The winners of the Story Playwriting competition, featuring works by artists under 18, as selected by the jury are as follows:
- "Let's Learn More About Germs" by Ava Lebasi, 9 years old, from Hamedan
- "The Arrogant Hoopoe" by Arad Torabi, 12 years old, from Hamedan
- "The Paper Wasters" by Sara Karami, 12 years old, from Bandar Anzali
- "In Search of Butterflies" by Sadra Sajjad Poorsini, 17 years old, from Khorasan Razavi
- "Will Someone Eat Me?" by Mahyar Abdollahzadeh, 12 years old, from Maku
The awards were presented by Master Davood Kianian, President of the Iranian Children's Theater Foundation.
Playwriting Competition Winners
The jury announced the following winners in the playwriting category:
- "The League of Winning Monsters" by Alireza Dehghani
- "The Bird Garden" by Meghdad Shiri
- "Hassangholi and the Weathered Wolf" by Jafar Dardaneh
- "The Snowman Scarecrow" by Zohreh Shafiei
International Theater (Theater of Nations) Winners
The jury for the Theater of Nations section, comprised of Alireza Khamseh and Amir Mashhadi Abbas, recognized the following performances for their directorial creativity:
- "The Musical Teahouse" from Uzbekistan
- "The Travayata Circus" from Armenia
Honoring Seyed Hossein Fadaei Hossein
Seyed Hossein Fadaei Hossein, a pioneer in children’s theater as a playwright, researcher, educator, and translator, was honored during the ceremony.
In his speech, Fadaei Hossein expressed gratitude to his mentors, saying:
"I owe everything to my great mentors. My first teacher, Mohammadreza Abbasi Amjad, rescued me—a school dropout—by introducing me to theater. My second mentor, Master Davood Kianian, guided me further."
He added: "Please invest in training teachers who can shape the future of theater. These mentors are the foundation of adult theater and crucial for nurturing audiences, starting from youth. Initiatives like the one in the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA) should be expanded. Every child in this country deserves the blessings that theater can bring."
Fadaei Hossein concluded: "Finally, I urge that this festival not be confined to one city. I have ideas on this matter and extend my thanks to all festival secretaries and especially Shahram Karami for his invaluable support."
Remarks by Hamidreza Haj Babai, Vice President of Parliament and Representative of Hamedan
In his address, Haj Babai highlighted Hamedan's rich history and cultural significance:
"As noted by the Supreme Leader, few cities in the world can match Hamedan’s historical prominence. This ancient city, with its 3,300-year history, remains vibrant. It is a peak of art, history, and civilization, with countless scholars and artists emerging from its soil."
He praised the festival’s success, stating: "For this year’s festival, the entire city of Hamedan united, making it the most renowned edition in its history. Provincial authorities spared no effort to ensure its excellence."
Looking ahead, Haj Babai announced: "Hamedan is prepared to host the International Hegmataneh Conference and the International Film Festival for Children and Youth. We urge all city departments to begin preparations for next year’s theater festival and make their venues available for this grand event."
He concluded by expressing solidarity with the children of Gaza: "During this festival, we remember the children in Gaza suffering under the bombings of the Zionist regime. We hope they too will soon experience days of joy."
Awards and Closing
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of the “Artistic Hope Awards” by the Islamic Revolution Art Organization, marking the end of the 29th International Theater Festival for Children and Youth in Hamedan.
ASSITEJ Awards
Focusing on innovation, creativity, and attention to audiences from artistic and technical perspectives, the Iranian Center for ASSITEJ announces its selected works in three categories: preschool, children, and youth. The jury for this edition included Ms. Zahra Sabri, Mr. Jafar Mahyari, and Mr. Erkan Oyaniksoy from ASSITEJ Turkey.
- Preschool’s Section:
The ASSITEJ Trophy, Honorary Diploma, and a monetary award were presented to “Father Wood”, directed by Majid Kimiaipour, for its creativity, innovation, and effective connection with the audience.
- Children’s Section:
A Certificate of Appreciation and a monetary award were given to “Only Myself”, directed by Mohammad Jahanpa, for its compelling performance and smooth storytelling.
- Teenagers’ Section:
The ASSITEJ Trophy, Honorary Diploma, and a monetary award were awarded to “Atropaths”, directed by Hossein Asadi, for its strong acting, coherent narrative, and appropriate choice of theme.
Puppet Theater Association of Iran Awards
Represented by Ms. Fariba Daliri, the Puppet Theater Association Board of Directors honored the following:
- The award was presented to “The Little Prince”, directed by Amir Sheikh Jabali, for its unique and creative interpretation of themes and its imaginative puppet staging.
- A second award was given to the team behind “Wolfie, Come Closer, Come Closer!”
Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA) Awards
Represented by Hamed Alamati, Managing Director, and Farhad Fallah, Cultural Deputy of IIDCYA, the institute honored:
- “Only Myself”, directed by Mohammad Jahanpa, with the IIDCYA Trophy, Certificate of Appreciation, and a monetary prize for its uplifting perspective, focus on joy, national identity, and religious values.
Hope Award
Represented by Mr. Matin Mahjoob, Deputy of the Children and youth section of The Artistic Sect of the Islamic Republic
The “Hope Award” recognizes works promoting optimism, national identity, and religious values.
Children section
- A Certificate of Appreciation and a monetary prize of 200 million IRR were given to “Every Day is Norouz”, directed by Amir Hossein Ansafi from Tehran.
Street Theater Section
- The same honor was awarded to “Ritual of Loyalty”, directed by Fatemeh Jalili Moaz from Hamedan.
Youth Section
- The award went to “Atropaths”, directed by Hossein Asadi from Khark.
Preschool Theater Competition – 29th Hamedan International Theater Festival for Children and Teenagers
Winners:
1. Music Composition:
- Appreciation: “A Journey in Yarn”, composed by Farid Navai from Tehran.
- Winner: “We All Have One Heart”, composed by Reza Abbasi from Hamedan.
2. Puppet Design:
- Appreciation: “Father Wood”, designed by Majid Kimiaipour from Isfahan.
- Winner: “Robots Have Feelings Too”, designed by Hamed Zarean from Tehran.
3. Costume Design:
- Appreciation: “Wolfie, Come Closer, Come Closer!”, designed by Sara Yazdanpejou from Karaj.
- Winner: “We All Have One Heart”, designed by Fatemeh Jalili Moaz from Hamedan.
4. Set Design
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and a cash prize awarded to Fatemeh Jalili-Moez from Hamedan for the play “We All Have One Heart.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Alireza Hosseinpour and Samira Yazdan-Pazho from Karaj for the play “Wolfie, Come Closer, Come Closer!.”
5. Puppetry
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and a cash prize awarded to Reyhaneh Baghbadi from Karaj for puppeteering in the play “Wolfie, Come Closer, Come Closer!.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Pegah Masoumi from Hamedan for puppeteering in the play “The Ladybug-Turtle.”
6. Youth Acting
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and a cash prize awarded to Arad Torabi for “We All Have One Heart” from Hamedan.
7. Best Actress
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and a cash prize awarded to Kimia Kimiaei-Pour from Isfahan for the play “Father Wood.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Maryam Akbari from Tehran for the play “A Journey in Yarn.”
8. Best Actor
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and a cash prize awarded to Amir Tanha for “Snore-Phism” from Lahijan.
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Hamed Torabi from Hamedan for the play “We All Have One Heart.”
9. Idea Development
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Lida Vaeidi from Tehran for “Robots Have Feelings Too.”
9. Playwriting
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and a cash prize awarded to Majid Kimiaei-Pour from Isfahan for “Father Wood.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Hamed Torabi from Hamedan for “We All Have One Heart.”
10. Directing
Appreciation:
- Samira Yazdan-Pezho for “Wolfie, Come Closer, Come Closer!” from Karaj.
- Pegah Masoumi for “The Ladybug-Turtle” from Hamedan.
Winner:
- Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Hamed Torabi from Hamedan for “We All Have One Heart.”
11. Best Play
- Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to “We All Have One Heart,” directed by Hamed Torabi from Hamedan.
Street Theater Awards
Iranian Plays
- Festival statue, Diploma of Honor, and cash prize awarded to “Mobarakeh and the Magic Book,” directed by Arash Sadeghian Haqiqi and Ehsan Samani-Manesh from Tehran.
Epic Storytelling
Appreciation:
Certificate of Appreciation and cash prizes awarded to the following young storytellers:
- Anahita Heidari for “Gordafarid” from Kermanshah.
- Yasmin Zahra Bahreini for “Rustam and the White Elephant of Gershasp” from Bandar Kangan.
- Nazanin Zahra Bahreini for “Rustam vs. Kalahoor Penjeh-Tab“ from Bandar Kangan.
Winner:
- Festival statue, Diploma of Honor, and cash prize awarded to Dorsa Nekoui for “The Wedding of Rudabeh” from Mashhad.
Music Composition
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and a cash prize awarded to Mohammad Naderi from Isfahan for the play "The Three-String of Mustache"
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Ali Khatami from Tehran for the play “We Are Happy.”
Brochure Design
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and a cash prize awarded to Saghar Tizrou from Shahin Shahr, Isfahan, for "Storky and His Kind Friends,"
Puppet Design
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Razieh Pashaei from Hamedan for the puppets in “Loyalty.”
Costume Design
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Rouhollah Sanaei from Tehran for the play “We Are Happy.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Fatemeh Jalili-Moez and Razieh Pashaei from Hamedan for “Loyalty.”
Space and Set Design
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Hamed Torabi and Razieh Pashaei from Hamedan for “Loyalty.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Rouhollah Sanaei from Tehran for “We Are Happy.”
Youth Acting
Appreciation:
- Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Roghieh Mohammadi from Zanjan for “Two Packages of Life.”
- Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Arad Torabi from Hamedan for “Loyalty.”
- Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Helena Bayati-Nia from Shahin Shahr, Isfahan, for "Storky and His Kind Friends,"
Best Actress
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Elnaz Ebrahimi from Tehran for her performance in “We Are Happy.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Maral Izadbakhs from Isfahan for her performance in "The Three-String of Mustache"
Best Actor
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Hamed Torabi from Hamedan for his performance in “Loyalty.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Seyyed Pouya Emami from Isfahan for his performance in "The Three-String of Mustache"
Concept and Idea
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Mojtaba Khalili from Isfahan for the concept and idea of "The Three-String of Mustache"
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Rouhollah Sanaei from Tehran for the concept and idea of “We Are Happy.”
Directing
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Mojtaba Khalili from Isfahan for directing "The Three-String of Mustache"
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Rouhollah Sanaei from Tehran for directing “We Are Happy.”
Best Performance
- Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to “We Are Happy,” directed by Rouhollah Sanaei from Tehran.
Children Theater Awards
Music Composition
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Sahar Keshavarz for composing music for “Chirping of Chelcheleh Chelgis”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Ramin Kohan from Tehran for composing music for “The Mysterious Ring.”
Puppet Design
Appreciation:
- Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Seyyedeh Masoumeh Zivari Hosseini for designing and creating puppets for “The Secret of White Forehead.”
- Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Madarjan Soghra Bedaqi for designing native puppets for “Chirping of Chelcheleh Chelgis”
Winner:
- Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Morteza Najafi for designing puppets for “Gessen’s Magic Hat.”
Costume Design
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Morteza Najafi for costume design for *Gessen’s Magic Hat.*
Set Design
Appreciation:
- Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Sina Yeylaq Beigi for set design for “The Mysterious Ring.”
- Winner:
- Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Morteza Najafi for set design for “Gessen’s Magic Hat.”
Puppetry
Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Mina Maqami-Zadeh for puppetry in “The Mysterious Ring.”
Youth Acting
Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Mohammad Afzalifar from Tehran for acting in “Every Day is Nowruz.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Yasna Esmaeili for “Only Myself.”
Best Actress
Appreciation:
- Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Nina Shah Mohammadi for acting in *Shangool and Mangool.*
- Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Armaghan Hosseini for acting in “Gessen’s Magic Hat.”
Best Actor
- Appreciation:Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Farhad Toofan for acting in “Shangool and Mangool.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Amir Hossein Ansafi from Tehran for acting in “Every Day is Nowruz.”
Poetry
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Azadeh Farhangian for writing poems for “The Mysterious Ring.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Amir Behboodnia for writing poems for “Chirping of Chelcheleh Chelgis”
Poster and Brochure Design
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Maziar Rasouli for designing the poster and brochure for “Chirping of Chelcheleh Chelgis”
Makeup Design
- Appreciation:Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Mahdieh Tajik Rad for makeup design for “Yara and the Puppet Mission.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Hossein Mohammad Hosseinpour for makeup design for “Gessen’s Magic Hat.”
Directing
Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Morteza Najafi for directing “Gessen’s Magic Hat.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Gharib Manouchehri from Hamedan for directing “Shangool and Mangool.”
Best Performance
- Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to “Every Day is Nowruz,” directed by Amir Hossein Ansafi from Tehran.
Youth Theater Awards
Music Composition
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Keykavous Faraji for composing the music for “Lopeto.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Emad Arabzadeh for composing the music for “Atropats.”
Poster and Brochure Design
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Elaheh Jaberghazadeh Ansari for designing the poster and brochure for “The Little Prince.”
Puppet Design
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Vahid Abdollahi for designing puppets for "Mahbod and His Dream of Shahnameh,"
Costume Design
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Faezeh Noabadi for designing costumes for “The Orphanage of Prinkipo.”
Lighting Design
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Amir Sheikh Jabali for lighting design for “The Little Prince.”
Set Design
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Amir Behboodnia for set design for “The Fictional Tale of Hoshun and Forti Brid,”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Elham Chenani for set design for “Atropats.”
Makeup Design
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Faezeh Noabadi for makeup design for “The Orphanage of Prinkipo.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Mahsa Keshvari for makeup design for "The Fictional Tale of Hoshun and Forti Brid,"
Youth Acting
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize jointly awarded to Janiar Fakhar for “The Little Prince” and Romina Mehraneh for *The Blue Bird.*
Best Actress
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Maryam Bargahi for her performance in “Atropats.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Sadaf Sobhi for her performance in “The Orphanage of Prinkipo.”
Best Actor
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize jointly awarded to Ali Nabipour for “Atropats” and Mohammad Safari for *The Fanciful Tale of Hooshan and Forty Breed.*
Playwriting
- Special Mention:
- Honorable mention to Yadollah Agha Abbasi for writing "The Story of the Noble Rascals"
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize awarded to Arash Sharifzadeh for writing “Lopeto.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Aghil Jamaati for writing “Atropats.”
Directing
- Appreciation: Certificate of Appreciation and cash prize jointly awarded to Arash Sharifzadeh for directing “Lopeto” and Amir Sheikh Jabali for directing “The Little Prince.”
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to Hossein Asadi for directing “Atropats.”
Best Performance
- Winner: Diploma of Honor, festival statue, and cash prize awarded to “Atropats,” directed by Hossein Asadi.