Makhmalbaf at the Haifa Festival

Mohsen Makhmalbaf, the renowned Iranian director, has traveled to Israel once again and this time has been welcomed by the media, Israeli artists, and filmmakers as the head of the jury at the Haifa Film Festival. According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on Sunday, October 12, the Haifa Film Festival is held annually for ten days coinciding with the Jewish festival of Sukkot in early autumn. The 31st Haifa Film Festival concluded on Saturday night, October 11, with Mohsen Makhmalbaf selected as the head of the jury, and the film 'Coming Down' by Israeli filmmaker Elad Keidan won the first prize in the narrative section. One of the films screened at this year's Haifa Festival was a new documentary about the life of Yitzhak Rabin, the former military and political leader of Israel, which described Rabin in a fresh style through his own words. Makhmalbaf's recent film 'The President' was also screened at the Haifa Film Festival, and his cinematic activities were celebrated. Additionally, the documentary 'Babayi School', which shows how all of Makhmalbaf's children have entered the world of cinema by leaving regular school, was screened at the festival. Israeli media quoted Makhmalbaf emphasizing that he still believes that through filmmaking, he wants to change the 'world', even if it is a small change that impacts the mind of one audience member. The port city of Haifa and the beautiful foothills of Carmel are familiar to Mohsen Makhmalbaf and his son, Meysam; three years ago, they made the film 'The Gardener' in the Baha'i gardens of this city and also in Akka and the streets of Jerusalem. Makhmalbaf's return to Israel this year comes after his two-year-ago visit, which drew criticism from 'intellectuals' in the West and also from the Islamic Republic of Iran. In the summer of 2013, the Jerusalem Film Festival awarded Makhmalbaf its first prize and celebrated him by screening several of his best works. However, a group of Iranian intellectuals residing in the West wrote in a letter against Makhmalbaf, questioning why he did not follow the boycott movement against Israel in support of Palestinians. In response to these criticisms, Makhmalbaf stated that he is 'proud' to have been a 'pathfinder for Iranian cinema's entry into Israel' and that they do not know how 'Iranian cinema and cultural works are revered in Israel'. This Iranian filmmaker has rejected the boycott of Israel, stating that these outdated methods, which have been implemented for decades, have only led to war and violence. Makhmalbaf emphasized that he will not follow the 'trend of boycotting Israel' and instead calls everyone to peace, non-violence, and dialogue. Meanwhile, Makhmalbaf has criticized the policies of the Israeli government during his appearances in Israel and has received encouragement from Israeli audiences. The first prize of the 2013 Jerusalem Festival was awarded to Makhmalbaf amid heightened rumors of an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, which Makhmalbaf strongly criticized, telling Israeli officials that warmongering will lead nowhere. Israelis became familiar with Makhmalbaf's early films when he first emerged among filmmakers in Iran, and his works were praised from their first screenings at global festivals, such as the London Festival. In subsequent years, several of Makhmalbaf's films, as well as those of his children, were screened not only at film festivals but also in commercial cinemas in Israel. Israeli media have always shown great attention to the presence of Mohsen Makhmalbaf and other artists from this family, both during their travels to Israel and their appearances at global festivals, praising him as a pioneering and thoughtful artist.