Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan honors Iranian filmmaker Kamal Tabrizi

TEHRAN --(Iranart)- Kamal Tabrizi, the director of the 2003 Iran-Japan joint production “Carpet of the Wind”, has been honored with the Foreign Minister’s Commendation, the Embassy of Japan announced in a press release published on July 23.

Tabrizi has received the honor for promotion of cultural exchange through art between Japan and Iran, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan has announced on its website.

The Foreign Minister’s Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields in order to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries and areas.

The commendations also aim to promote the understanding and support of the Japanese public for the activities of the recipients.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the award ceremony for the Foreign Minister’s Commendations on July 23. This year, the Commendations were awarded to 206 individuals and 63 groups.

Those who attended the ceremony were presented with an award certificate and a commemorative gift (furoshiki). For those residing abroad, the certificate and commemorative gift will be awarded through respective Embassies/Consulate-Generals of Japan at a later date.

Kamal Tabrizi is one of the most hardworking filmmakers of the country. His many thoughts and ideas have invariably been influential in the Iranian cinema. His distinct viewpoints on substantial issues such as the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, which is called the Sacred Defense in Iran, in films like “Leili Is with Me” and “Sheida” have become enticing topics for heated discussions at many movie gatherings.

His “Carpet of the Wind” depicts the story of Makato, a Japanese carpet merchant, who travels to Iran to arrange for the weaving of a special carpet.

Nearly all of the film takes place in Isfahan, which itself is a museum-like city.

The filmmaker has also been working as the project advisor in “Hotel New Moon”, a co-production between Iran and Japan by Japanese filmmaker Takefumi Tsutsui.

Kamal Tabrizi was born in 1959 in Tehran, graduated in cinema from the College of Cinema and Theater. He began his artistic activities with photography, screenwriting and directing short films in 1979. He later directed several films and TV Series.

“The Passage” (1988), “On the Alter of Love” (1990), “End of Childhood” (1993), “Leili Is with Me” (1995), “Maternal Love” (1998), “Sheida” (1999), “Sly” 2018 and “We Are All Together” 2018 are among his noteworthy credits.

source: Tehran Times