Majid Majidi bestowed with 'Asian Film Culture' award

Mumbai, Oct 20 (UNI) Renowned Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi was conferred the ''Asian Film Culture Award'' by veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra last evening at the Third Eye Fifth Asian Film Festival.

Majidi accepted the award amidst standing ovation at the closing ceremony of the eight-day Third Eye Fifth Asian Film Festival, which was held at Plaza Cinema Hall, Dadar in Central Mumbai.

Speaking after accepting the award, Majidi said, ''I plan to make a film on Kashmir. Cinema can be a bridge between the two nations.

India and Iran enjoy a vast cultural heritage. We can work together.

I am venturing into a project on a film in India. I thank the Director of the Film Festival. I also thank my colleague and life partner.'' Apart from Majidi and his wife, the other luminaries present on the occasion were Mukesh Sharma, Director of Sahyadri, Kiran Shantaram and Bhawna Somaya editor of 'Screen'.

Ms Somaya said, ''The closing ceremony of the festival is more emotional than the opening ceremony as it is time to bid goodbye to our dreams and the dream merchants.'' The major highlight of the film festival was 92 different films including from Myanmar. In addition, there was a retrospective of Majidi's films. Delegates from countries such as Myanmar, the Philippinees, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka also attended the festival.

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