Iran’s Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili congratulated the people on the country’s National Cinema Day (September 12) and said that this day is reminiscent of Iran’s ancient civilization.

He added that Iran’s cinema could play its role successfully in promoting national solidarity.

“Today is the day of Iranian cinema, which delicately and intelligently shows the most complex human issues and gives deep thought and delicate taste to human life,” the minister said.

He also expressed his condolences over the deaths of cineastes and other artists who passed away recently.

The inception of cinema in Iran dates back to Mozaffareddin Shah Qajar, the fifth Qajar king of Persia, in 1900.

Mirza Ebrahim Khan, alias ‘Akkas Bashi,’ was the first Persian filmmaker and cameraman. He was the official photographer of the Qajar king.

The first film produced in Iran, ‘Blue and Robbie,’ was a silent film that was released in 1930.

In the last year and a half the financial situation of people working in cinema has been challenging due to the coronavirus pandemic.