DW executive Kritsch had a short chat with Mehr News correspondent on the sidelines of the 35th Fajr International Film Festival:
What brought you to this year’s Film Market?
We are looking for new customers who want to purchase our TV programs and documentaries. I have been working for DW for many years now. We are an international broadcasting company based in Germany. We sell TransTel programs and services all over the world. I come here every year to sell these programs to our regional partners.
Any plan to co-produce movies and documentaries with Iranian companies?
We don’t work with Iranian companies because our products are made by the national broadcasting company in Germany. We edit TV programs and documentaries and sell them at international film markets like Fajr. We make documentaries about art, history, nature, medicine, and suchlike.
How many times have you been to the Fajr Film Market?
This is my 14th trip to the annual event.
What is your take on Iranian movies?
I don’t know much about Iranian cinema because I only sell TV documentaries. However, I have read and seen a lot about Iranian cinema on TV. I have seen many of them and they are excellent.
Was this year’s trip worth your while?
Yes, of course. I have been coming here for many years now. The market is very useful to us because many other distributing companies from the Middle East and even Australia and South Korea are also in participation. The market is important to us and our clients in Europe.
Fajr 2017 unveiled high profile acquisitions of Iranian films in the festival proper on Friday. The main activity is in sales for films screening in the sidebar Film Market. It may take time to assess this run. But so far all signs indicate a strong return to the robust activity and old time glamour of past events.
Big budget indie titles, documentaries, and feature-length films are on display for international distributors, guests and, buyers, as well as festival programmers and representatives. Many titles offer the most stable promise of solid box office returns.
Presided over by Reza Mirkarimi, the 35th edition of Fajr International Film Festival will take place from 21 to 28 April in Tehran.
LR/PR