Imam Khomeini's Life to Be Screened

TEHRAN, July 4 (Press TV) -- Iran plans to release first feature film about the life of the Late Imam Khomeini, the cleric who led the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
The film, Farzand-e Sobh (The Morning's Child) will be released in Iran in February during the official celebrations for the 30th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.
The movie, one of the most impressive film projects in Iran, is directed by veteran Iranian director Behrouz Afkhami. He said the project was suggested by the Compilation and Publication Institute of the Late Imam Khomeini's Works.
The film focuses on Khomeini's childhood in his parents' home in the central city of Khomein, with a few glimpses of him returning from seminary studies in Arak.
It also covers Khomeini's sermons railing against the rule of the Shah ( Mohammad Reza Pahlavi) in the 1960s, which led to his arrest by the notorious SAVAK secret police and his subsequent exile from Iran.
The film comes at a time when a large percentage of Iran's predominantly youthful population was not born when the Imam was alive.
"More than 70 percent of the population has changed since the Revolution and do not have any tangible memory of Imam Khomeini,” Afkhami noted.
The veteran director stressed that the film has the full blessing of the Late Leader's grandson, Ayatollah Hassan Khomeini. Afkhami added that Ayatollah Hassan Khomeini helped him all the way.
"This is a mood film - a film that you do not see but you feel," Afkhami concluded.
A scene from Farzand-e Sobh movie.


Handicapped Can Now Tongue Drive Around

TEHRAN, July 4 (Press TV) -- An Iranian researcher has developed a new wheelchair which allows handicapped to move around independently only by moving their tongues.
The Tongue Drive may revolutionize the field of assistive technologies by helping severely disabled individuals, such as those with high-level spinal cord injuries, to return to active, independent and productive lives and interact with the environment, said Maysam Ghovanloo, the inventor of the device.
The Georgia Institute of Technology researcher claimed that a small magnet simply implanted into the tongue allows the tongue's movement to direct a cursor across a computer screen or a powered wheelchair around a room. Thus having control over ones tongue movement is the only requisite for using this device.
Ghovanloo added that on the contrary to hands and feet which are controlled by the brain through the spinal cord, a cranial nerve directly connects the tongue to the brain; therefore tongue movements usually remains intact in severe spinal cord injuries or neuromuscular diseases.
He also maintained that tongue movements are fast, accurate and do not require much thinking, concentration or effort.
The 'Tongue Drive' system has premiered at the 2008 Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. The findings of the study will be published in the upcoming issue of the Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development.
Dr. Maysam Ghovanloo, holding the steering magnet.


Women’s Theater Festival Pays Tribute to Stage Veterans

TEHRAN, July 4 (MNA) -- Winners of the Seventh Women’s Theater Festival were announced here on Wednesday in a ceremony held at Tehran’s City Theater Complex.
Tehran Municipality Art and Cultural Department Deputy Director Majid Sarsangi, director of the Tehran Municipality’s Dramatic Arts Department, Ali Akbar Qazi-Nezam, secretary of the festival Maryam Motaref, and the municipality’s women’s theater organizer Azam Borujerdi were among the guests who attended the gala event.
The ceremony began with the tribute paid to veteran stage actresses Mahin Shahabi and Sorayya Qasemi, and puppet theatrical instructor Homa Jeddikar.
Afterwards, the following winners of the street theater performances were announced:
Farhad Daneshvar won the first actor award, Arash Gholami the second place award, and Faramarz Qelichkhani and Saeid Rahimi shared the third place award.
Parisa Nazari-Nasab and Narges Khak-Kar shared the best actress award.
The best screenwriter award went to Hamed Mahdavi and Faramarz Qelichkhani.
The first director award in this section went to Negin Sarkani “Seen”, the second place to Arash Gholami “Game of Life”, and the third place to Mehdi Habibi “Patience”.
At the stage performance section, the following winners were announced:
The stage actor first place award went to Human Barqnavard “Garden Party in Snow”. Hamed Manafi “Similar to No One” and Qasem Lotfi “Moon in Darkness” shared the second place award. Hadi Vakili “Image on Edge of Dagger” and Saeid Jamshidi “Salvation at 25 o’clock” shared the third place award.
Maleni Hosseinpur “Home” won the stage actress first place award. Mandana Abqari “Isolation and Silence in a Barren Land” and Sara Nejatian “Image of the Face” shared the second place award, and the third place award went to Sara Pursabri “Women of the Constitutional Movement” and Bahar Karimzadeh “Similar to No One”.
In the best director section, the first place award went to Sara Nik-Tabiat “1001st Night”, second place to Bahar Karimzadeh “Similar to No One”, and third place to Hadi Sheibani “Image on Edge of Dagger”.
Milad Akbarnejad “Image on Edge of Dagger” won the best screenwriter award, Ali Bangin “Moon in Darkness” won second place, and Ali Kuchaki “Similar to No One” won third.
The ceremony ended with a live music concert and a pantomime performance by Yaser Khaseb.
The Seventh Women’s Theater Festival was held in several of Tehran’s theater halls from June 25 to July 2.
Veteran Iranian actress of stage and screen Mahin Shahabi receives a bunch of flower from actor Ezzatollah Entezami after accepting a lifetime achievement award during the closing ceremony of the Seventh Women’s Theater Festival at Tehran’s City Theater Complex on July 2.


Deputy Culture Minister Appreciates Filmmaker Mirkarimi

TEHRAN, July 4 (MNA) -- Deputy Culture Minister for Cinematic Affairs Mohammadreza Jafari-Jelveh expressed his congratulations to director of “So Simple” Reza Mirkarimi on Thursday.
“So Simple” recently won the Best Film Golden George at the 30th Moscow International Film Festival (MIFF).
“So Simple” depicts a day in the life of Tahereh (Hengameh Qaziani), a woman from a middle class family in Iran.
Jafari-Jelveh also expressed his appreciation to the House of Cinema managing director Mirkarimi for his efforts in organizing a commemoration ceremony in memory of the passengers on Iran Air Flight 655. All on board the flight perished when it was shot down by a missile fired from the U.S. Vincennes in 1988.
Iranian film celebrities gathered in Bandar Abbas on Wednesday July 2 to mark the solemn occasion and to pay tribute to the memory of the deceased passengers and children who were killed onboard.


Iranian photos on display in Italy

TEHRAN, July 4 (MNA) -- Photos by Iranian artist Hossein Hazrati are currently on display at the San Rossore Natural Park, which is located a few kilometers from Italian city Pisa, ISNA reported on Friday.
Over 250 photos are showcased during an exhibition entitled “Iran”. The photos are on the theme of Iranian architecture, history and natural landscapes.
The Director of the San Rossore Natural Park, Sergio Paglialunga, gave a presentation highlighting Iran’s attractions and spoke about the photos on display at the exhibit. He also introduced the Iranian photographer and filmmaker Hazrati to the visitors during the opening ceremony on Thursday.
He expressed his hope of holding additional exhibitions such as this one in near future.
Several artists and Italian officials also attended the opening ceremony.
Hazrati has produced several films on Iranian civilization including “Iran, Seven Faces of a Civilization”, “Glory of Persepolis” and “Bam, the Story Goes On”.


New Cancer Depression Treatment

LONDON, July 4 (BBC) -- A new treatment programme for cancer patients suffering clinical depression significantly improved their quality of life, according to researchers.
Patients received information and problem-solving therapy to help them overcome feelings of helplessness.
After three months, 20% fewer patients were depressed compared with those who received standard NHS treatment.
The study, by a team at the University of Edinburgh, was published in the Lancet medical journal.
The university's psychological medicine research group recruited 200 cancer patients who had clinical depression.
Half were given the new strategy - depression care for people with cancer - while the rest received standard care, either from a GP or hospital specialist.
The new treatment offered one-to-one sessions with trained cancer nurses to help patients manage their depression.
As well as reduced depression, this group reported improvements in anxiety and fatigue.
Professor Michael Sharpe believes the therapy, developed by Cancer Research UK scientists, could help patients with a range of illnesses.
He said: "Ten per cent of cancer patients experience clinical depression and unfortunately it is not always adequately treated.
"This new treatment could substantially improve the way we manage depression in people with cancer and also in people with other serious medical conditions.
"This is the first time this type of depression treatment has been evaluated in cancer patients and the results are very encouraging."
The study was funded by Cancer Research UK which recently awarded the research team £4m to continue its work.