Tehran, Athens eager to join hands in tourism industry

Iran and Greece underlined the need to strengthen cultural cooperation, especially in tourism. In a meeting on Saturday, Iranian Ambassador to Greece Majid Motalebi Shabestari, and the Greek Minister of Tourism Elena Kountoura underlined the need to expand relations in exchanging tourists.

Referring to age-old relations between the two countries, Shabestari said, “There is a need to deepen cooperation and create more facilities for the exchange of tourists.”

The Greek minister also welcomed the development of cultural relations, and said, “Beautiful sites of Iran in the tourism sector and its possession of ancient and important historical monuments attract a large number of enthusiasts.”

She hailed Iran’s climate diversity, its ancient history and many tourist attractions.

She also voiced readiness of the Greek government to participate in the development of Iran’s capabilities in the field of tourism. Iranian short film, ‘Retouch’, which has brought home a special jury award from a Turkish film festival, is set for 10 more international screenings in January and February 2018.

Directed by Kaveh Mazaheri, the Iranian short film claimed joint honors for the special jury award from the Silk Road section of the fifth SETEM Academy B.K.A Film Festival in Turkey, ifilmtv.ir reported.

The prize was shared with another production from Italy. The source of the report did not mention the name of the Italian production.

Co-produced by Mazaheri and the Iranian Young Cinema Society, ‘Retouch’ is the story of a young woman whose husband dies before her eyes while she cannot do anything but witness the unfolding of this tragic event.

The short film has enjoyed an outstanding success this year by having been accepted into many international film festivals and won a number of awards including the Silk Road Award at China’s Jinzhen International Short Film Festival and Best Short Film award at Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival in the United States.

It also has won awards from the Best Short Film Awards at the Krakow International Film Festival, the Palm Springs International Film Festival, and the Tribeca Film Festival, all in the US.

Mazaheri’s short piece is now set for ten more international screenings for January and February 2018 in India, Bulgaria, Norway, Ireland, Poland, Ibizacinefest of Spain, Filmwochenende of Germany, as well as Durango and Boulder festivals in the United States.