Ray of hope in India-Iran talks

For a change, Iran and India are going to discuss Satyajit Ray, Abbas Kiarostami and Majid Majidi instead of the usual suspects like gas or nuclear energy. The two nations might also deliberate on creating journalism with an Asian perspective.

Iran, taking a determined lead to create an “Asian identity” to counter the ‘evil’ West, has sent a proposal to Indian Government which talks at length about cinema and journalism.

The “draft proposal” sent by Iran’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance suggests to set up an ‘Asian Centre for Cinematic Studies’ which will spearhead the Asian cinema movement across the country. The proposal is currently under circulation in various ministries here as they have been asked to comment on the proposal.

The proposal has mooted Asian film festivals for propagating Asian cinema and film training courses for film-makers. Interestingly, Iran has insisted that the proposed centre must be located in the “territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

Underlining the need for collaboration among Asian countries if they are to preserve their unique culture, Iran in its proposal has said that Asian cinema which forms a crucial part in the heritage of humanity will be lost if they are not properly safeguarded.

To buttress the cause of Asian identity and Asian cinema, Iran has reminded that “the modernised atmosphere prevailing in the cinema of the West is exerting its universal effects too. It will no doubt result in drastic changes in the nature of so-called Asian Cinema unless the cinema is managed and controlled properly by the benefitting Asian states.”

“Iran has sent us the proposal as part of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), a continent-wide forum. We have been asked to give inputs on these proposals within one month,” said a source in the Government.

Another proposal that has come to the Indian  government is to set up a joint ACD news agency to share news about Asia with an Asian perspective. The proposed news agency, as per the

proposal, shall cover “information packages, from daily news to classified training packages aimed at various class of audience”.

Again, the proposal insists that the headquarters of the news agency will be set up on the “territory of Iran”.