Tabriz residents attend farewell ceremony for Iran's late president

Crowds of residents attended a farewell ceremony Tuesday held in the city of Tabriz for Iran's late President Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash.

Iran's official news agency IRNA confirmed on Monday the deaths of President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, East Azarbaijan's Governor Malek Rahmati, senior Shia cleric Mohammad-Ali Ale-Hasehem, and others in the helicopter crash on Sunday in Varzaqan County in Iran's East Azarbaijan Province.

A funeral procession took place in Tabriz, a city near where the crash occurred in north-western Iran, carrying the caskets of the late President Raisi and others who died in the air crash.

"The government must continue to follow the path he created. Anyone replacing him must follow what he did. Whatever he did for the Iranian people, the next person must do the same," said Magsood Rahnoo, a taxi driver.

Residents also expressed their deep admiration and great sorrow for the late President, maintaining a firm belief that Raisi's tragic death would not disrupt the development of the country.

"He was, after all, the president of this country. We naturally have intense emotions and feelings toward our president, definitely," said Omran Aghazi, a businessman.

"It will take some time until he is replaced and until the country starts functioning again. But I hope everything will go back to normal. They're always in our hearts, and we will remember them," said Arya, a University student.

The funeral and commemoration ceremonies for Raisi and his entourage were held on Wednesday in Tehran, the capital of Iran.

Tabriz residents attend farewell ceremony for Iran's late president

Tabriz residents attend farewell ceremony for Iran's late president

China Movie and TV Night 2024, a special gala at the ongoing 26th Shanghai International Film Festival, was held on Sunday to share stories of China's film development.

Themed "Worlds of Film, Stories of China," the gala focuses on promoting original Chinese films and TV series and shares the stories of Chinese practitioners in the industry.

"I think the China Movie and TV Night lets people see the development of Chinese films from different dimensions and see a promising prospect of the film industry. It did a good job in creating a great platform for all of us to communicate and show," said director Li Shaohong.

The production teams of several upcoming TV series and the classic cartoon Happy Dad and Son 6 participated in the promotional activities at the gala and shared behind-the-scenes stories and their understanding of the characters.

The opening ceremony of the French Film Week was also held at the gala celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. The event features outstanding recent works from major international film festivals, showcasing the diverse perspectives and societal aspects of contemporary French cinema.

"I think the French Film Week in Shanghai is a very good way to connect the two markets. Hopefully, some of these films can get a more broad distribution. But it's already great that they're showing in the festival, because French films usually don't have that much exposure in China. I think that's also thanks to the work the festival does, and it's a great opportunity to share very recent films and some older films," said French producer Natacha Devillers.

Shanghai International Film Festival special gala showcases stories of filmmaking