Tehran, YJC. The Supreme Leader has met with officials and staff of Ammar Public Film Festival to appreciate the festival's concern with religious teachings and tenets of the Revolution.
"The perspective for the Islamic art and religious cinema must be a long-term one with thorough planning, optimism, and the utilization of art for utmost effectiveness,” the Supreme Leader said, considering the establishment of Ammar Public Film Festival as a decent measure, Ammar being one of prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) companions.
The Supreme leader considered as highly important an optimistic view of the future and escalation of horizons for the Islamic Revolution.
Ayatollah Khamenei deemed as important such view of Islamic arts and the religious cinema and asserted that the devout youth are the propelling agent in the movement and the veterans must convey their experiences to them.
He also pointed out the Western origin of cinema and the necessity to launch think tanks for the youth and prospective talents in Islamic arts and the religious cinema.
"Those who are active in the film industry with purports of the revolution and the Holy Defense are really performing the Jihad,” said the Supreme Leader.
The Supreme Leader provided comments on the importance of issues relating to the Islamic Revolution, the Holy Defense, Palestine, and the Islamic Awakening as subject matter for film production and added "A lie out there is that arts must not be mixed with politics, whereas Western art complexes such as Hollywood are utterly political; since, were it not so why would they not allow Iranian anti-Zionist movies to film festivals?"