Alerts & Newsletters

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services.

IRANIAN HOUSE OF CINEMA DISBANDED BY IRANIAN GOVERNMENT

By News Desk

A STATEMENT FROM ARTFORUM’S PUBLISHERS

ROBERT IRWIN (1928–2023)

HONG KONG–BASED AMTD BUYS THE ART NEWSPAPER

January 5, 2012 10:31 am

The Iranian government’s Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance took steps to disband the Iranian House of Cinema (IHC) on Tuesday evening. The decision was announced by a letter sent to Farhad Tohidi, chairman of the IHC board of directors, who spoke with the Tehran Times. The ministry accused IHC officials of establishing the guild without heeding legal formalities, as well as carrying out “other illegal acts.” This is the latest action in years of tension between the IHC and the Iranian government. In Iran, all arts and cultural institutions must obtain a license for operation and then have their charter approved by the Iran Public Culture Council. The Culture Ministry has filed a lawsuit against the IHC saying that they amended their charter without informing the council. The organization has been told to cease all activities starting today.

Artforum Inbox

Register to receive our full menu of newsletters—From the Archive, Must See, Video, In Print, Dispatch, and ArtforumEDU—as well as special offers from Artforum.