Iranian actress Fatemeh Motamed-Arya wins French honor

TEHRAN,Feb.1(MNA) -- Renowned Iranian actress Fatemeh Motamed-Arya received the Henri-Langlois Prix 2012 for her lifetime endeavors in the promotion of cinema and maintenance of professional cultural values. The winners of the 34th edition of the Recontres Henri Langlois International Film School Competition were announced in a ceremony at the Main Auditorium of the TAP Scene Nationale de Poitiers (France) on January 30. After receiving her award at the ceremony, Motamed-Arya said, “Tonight we have a common reason for being together. Without thinking about our homeland or mother tongue, we share peace and beauty here and take our portion. “Cinema taught us love, kindness and sharing of this life. To remember that despite our language, color and religion we love each other as human beings.” The Gran Prix du Jury, the event’s top prize, went to “Frozen Stories” by Grzegorz Jaroszuk, a student from Poland’s PWSFTviT film academy. All the winners received cash awards from the festival’s sponsors, as well as from the city of Poitiers. The Henri Langlois awards are given annually to actors, directors, technicians or those in the film industry, who have had or will have an influence on the art of cinema, but also international institutions that work to preserve film heritage. The awards are named in honor of Henri Langlois, co-founder of the Cinematheque Francaise and also the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF). In addition to being an influence on the French Nouvelle Vague (New wave) filmmakers, he received an honorary Academy Award in 1974.