Photos by
Mohammadreza Abbasi
TEHRAN, May 3 (Mehr News Agency) -- Honoring the giants of
Iranian theater inspired a lovely night for the closing ceremony of the 12th
International University Theater Festival at Tehran's City Theater Complex on
Saturday.
Comedian Alireza Khamseh, the ceremony's host, said
that the students planned to pay tribute to Iranian theater veterans as their
teachers on that day, which coincided with Iran's national Teachers' Day.
Organizers of the festival presented lifetime
achievement awards to several veteran theater figures, including Nosrat Karimi,
Hamid Samandarian, and Bahram Beizaii during the ceremony.
Director Hamid Samandarian shakes hands with
his actress wife Homa Rusta, who presented him a prize during the closing
ceremony of the 12th International University Theater Festival at Tehran's City
Theater Complex on May 2. 2009. Host Alireza Khamseh (1st from right) and actor
Payam Dehkordi are also seen in the photo.
Retired Iranian multimedia artist Karimi, 84, was
absent due to his illness so his daughter Mandana accepted the prize on his
behalf from veteran stage director Javad Zolfaqari.
Director and playwright Samandarian received his
award from his actress wife Homa Rusta and actor Payam Dehkordi.
"There are many powerful and more capable than me
among my colleagues, for example: Bahram Beizaii, Abbas Javanmard, Saeid
Pursamimi, and Parviz Purhosseini," Samandarian said.
"I lose my self-confidence before these people whom
I consider as my masters," he added.
Beizaii was awarded by actor Hamid Amjad and
director Mohammad Rahmanian.
Bahram Beizaii receiving his award
Rahmanian said that Beizaii has been away from
teaching for years but many artists consider themselves as his students today.
"I was surprised by this prize," said Beizaii.
He also commemorated the late Iranian playwright
Akbar Radi.
"We are in the students' festival and one teacher is
now absent here; I present all these feelings to Akbar Radi," he noted.
Davud Rashidi, Abbas Javanmard, Khosro Hakim-Rabet,
Khosro Khorshidi, and Saeid Pursamimi were also among the honorees.
Afterward, the winners of the festival were
presented with awards by the veterans.
Following is a list of the winners of the festival's
main section:
Best Director: Reza Servati for "Macbeth"
Best Play Text: "The Black Skin and the White Masks"
written by Azadeh Shahmiri
Best Actor: Ali Baqeri for ("From Around Milad")
Best Actress: Fatemeh Fakhraii ("From Around Milad")
Best Composer: Arash Azizi ("The Chef Proposes")
Best Stage Designer: Shima Mirmohammadi ("Macbeth")
Best Costume Designer: Shima Mirmohammadi
("Macbeth")
The 12th International University Theater Festival
was held in Tehran from April 25 to May 2.
... Payvand News - 05/03/09 ... --
