Relative Decrease in Audience Reception for Nowruz Film Releases

A week after the Nowruz holidays, the reception of this year's Nowruz film releases has become the main topic in the Iranian cinema media space. Recently, several cinema managers have reported a decrease in audience attendance compared to past Nowruz releases. This decrease, according to these managers, has been particularly noticeable in cinemas outside major cities. The main films released for Nowruz include 'Iran Burger', 'Absolute Rest', 'Fox', 'Sweet Taste of Imagination', and 'Crazy Face', alongside several other films released in the Art and Experience group, such as 'Jumping from Low Heights' and 'The Man Who Became a Horse', representing a wide variety of films. Saideh Khodabakhsh, a film journalist in Tehran, confirms the decrease in audience reception compared to previous years, attributing the main reason for the drop in viewers to the unsuitable mix of films selected for this year's Nowruz release: 'This year, the films chosen by the Screening Guild for Nowruz were not appealing to the audience. For instance, the film 'Fox' was not suitable for inclusion in the Nowruz lineup. In previous years, films were either pure comedies or from directors whose previous works had resonated well with audiences, and films were selected based on these factors. This year, many producers and even cinema owners agree that good films were not chosen for the Nowruz release. The lack of a television teaser has also affected the sales of some films. For example, 'Absolute Rest' by Mr. Kahani has not had a television teaser so far, and for this reason, many people may not be aware that such a film has been released.' According to announced statistics, 'Iran Burger' has been the highest-grossing Nowruz film, surpassing one billion tomans in total sales in Tehran by last week. Distributors of this film say that with the start of its promotional teaser on Iranian state television, its sales have increased, as it has a humorous theme about holding elections in a village. The relative decrease in audience reception occurs at a time when cinema ticket prices have increased since the beginning of the new year in Iran. Although the spokesperson for the Screening Guild does not consider this decision a significant factor in the decrease in cinema attendance, some cinema managers have deemed the rise in ticket prices as influential in the reduced audience turnout. Saideh Khodabakhsh comments on the impact of increased cinema ticket prices on film sales: 'It is not without effect. The last time ticket prices rose, we saw a drop in audience numbers; but now it is being discussed that, in addition to cinemas, films released for home viewing are also expected to increase by thirty percent. Until now, it was said that if we are five people and cannot go to the cinema to buy a seven-thousand-toman ticket, we would buy the home version of the film for three or four thousand tomans at the supermarket and watch it together. Now that they say it will increase by thirty percent, I think cinemas will even lose the supermarket audience.' Notably, this year's Nowruz release has seen low sales for two well-known filmmakers of post-revolutionary Iranian cinema. The films 'Fox' by Behrouz Afkhami and 'Sweet Taste of Imagination' by Kamal Tabrizi are among the lowest-grossing films of the five main Nowruz releases. After 'Fox', which had approximately 120 million tomans in sales in Tehran by last week, 'Sweet Taste of Imagination' with about 280 million tomans in sales in Tehran is also considered a failure in the Nowruz release. This occurrence is unusual for a filmmaker with a history of producing high-grossing films such as 'Lizard' and 'Sensitive Class'. Babak Ghafouri Azar, a producer for 'Scene' at Radio Farda, follows developments in the cinema and theater sector. He joined Radio Farda in 2010 and has published various investigative reports on events during the first decade of the establishment of the Islamic Republic. Babak Ghafouri Azar began his journalism career in Iran in 2001.