After the Islamic Revolution, Avini began working at the former Construction Jihad Ministry, which was established in 1979 by the order of the late Imam Khomeini, and made his first TV series “Khan Gazideha” the same year. The next year, he joined the Jihad TV group and began making the TV series “Narration of Triumph” (Ravayat-e Fat’h), which documented the bravery of Iranian soldiers during the Sacred Defense (1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war).
He made and edited over 70 documentaries, on jihad, sacrifice and martyrdom, including 70 episodes of “Narration of Triumph.”
Avini worked at the Art Bureau as the editor of the monthly magazine Sureh until 1991. His book “Mirror of Magic” describes his comprehensive approach and theories on cinema.
In 1992, Avini began production of a second series of “Narration of Triumph”.
He was martyred on April 8, 1992 while filming one of the new episodes and was laid to rest beside many martyrs of the Sacred Defense in Behesht-e Zahra cemetery south of Tehran.
Followings are several Iranian artists’ comments on the life and work of Martyr Avini:
Shurjeh: Avini’s approach to cinema manifested in “Narration of Triumph”
“In my belief, Avini’s approach to cinema was manifested in perfect form in his TV series ‘Narration of Triumph’,” said film director Jamal Shurjeh.
“Avini had a kind of realistic and neo-realistic approach to cinema and documentary filmmaking. Reality was reflected in his works in the most tangible way, and even the topics he chose were selected to show the truth.
“The TV documentary series ‘Narration of Triumph’ was the best example of his style of work, in which his message of truth was disseminated to viewers even without… narration. The text he had written for his works and the literature he used reflected his Islamic religious beliefs.
“His works were quite unique, and afterwards nobody was able to create works so real which could attract hundreds of viewers,” he noted.
Asgarpur: Avini’s character and works are eternal
Film director Mohammad-Mehdi Asgarpur is convinced that Avini’s character and his works are eternal.
“Avini and his works were both art. It is hard to find someone like this, but he had reached a level where there was no difference between him and his works,” he said.
“All art which leads to the exaltation of human beings is necessarily religious, and Avini’s was not an exception,” he stated.
The friendly character of Avini attracted a large audience for his works, he added.
Hamidnejad: Avini’s works and actions made him an immortal
Filmmaker Azizollah Hamidnejad said that his words, actions, and several other factors made Avini an immortal in the field of documentary filmmaking.
His style was very realistic and makes the audience believe what they are seeing, he noted.
“He made the viewers believe in him, which made him a famous figure,” he added.
Esfandiari: Avini, a dynamic and realistic character
Cultural expert Abdollah Esfandiari believes that Avini was a dynamic and realistic man who hated inactivity.
Esfandiari said that Avini’s major contribution was his creation of a style of documentary cinema which reflected the mysticism hidden in Iranian literature.
“He actually gave a spiritual aspect to the documentaries he made on the Sacred Defense,” he added.
Hekmat: Avini, eternal figure in depicting Sacred Defense
Female director Manijeh Hekmat is also convinced that Avini was the most unforgettable figure who described the events of the Iran-Iraq war.
“He skillfully narrated the history of Saddam’s invasion of Iran to the next generation. This was due to his feeling of commitment. He was a man of his time, and I wish he was alive to see and hear people’s opinions about his works,” she observed.
“There are no more people like Avini anymore, or few, due to the lack of the sense of responsibility and commitment. Or perhaps directors like Avini are not permitted to work any longer,” she added.
People will never forget him because of his sense of honesty, she said in conclusion.
RM/HG
End
MNA
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