Mourners commemorate life of late Iranian president at last farewell ceremony

The final farewell ceremony for Iran's late President Ebrahim Raisi was held at 14:00 on Thursday (local time) in his hometown of Mashhad, the country's second largest city, with tens of thousands of people taking to the street to pay their respects.

President Raisi, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Governor of East Azarbaijan Province Malek Rahmati, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's Representative to East Azerbaijan Mohammad Ali Ale-Hashem and Raisi's bodyguard were confirmed dead on Monday after the helicopter they were traveling in crashed in the country's mountainous northwestern province of East Azerbaijan.

Coffins of Raisi and seven others who died in the air crash were transported to the Iranian capital of Tehran on Wednesday.

Crowds of people gathered to bid a final farewell to Raisi and his entourage. Namat, one of those attending the ceremony to mourn the death of Raisi, was overwhelmed with sadness as he spoke through tears of his admiration for the late president.

"Raisi was a kind man who always served the people," said Namat.

"Raisi was one of the presidents who contributed a lot to the prosperity and progress of Iran. All Iranians, especially the people of his hometown -- Mashhad, are deeply saddened by his death," said Iman, one of locals who were attending the farewell ceremony.

During the ceremony, residents mourned the loss of Raisi and accompanied his body along the street, with many holding pictures of the late president.

"Raisi was an extraordinary man who rarely rested or took holidays but worked tirelessly for the people. As a worthy person, his name will be recorded in the history of Iran," said Hamid, another resident attending the ceremony.

Another farewell ceremony was held in Birjand on Thursday, where a large number of local people offered their condolences to the late president through a procession.

The body of Iranian Foreign Minister Abdollahian was laid to rest in Tehran on Thursday.

Prior to that memorial service, Iran had held three farewell ceremonies for Raisi and others on Tuesday morning in Tabriz, the capital of East Azerbaijan province, on Tuesday Afternoon in the city of Qom, Qom province, and on Wednesday in Tehran.

Mourners commemorate life of late Iranian president at last farewell ceremony

Mourners commemorate life of late Iranian president at last farewell ceremony

Mourners commemorate life of late Iranian president at last farewell ceremony

Mourners commemorate life of late Iranian president at last farewell ceremony

Mourners commemorate life of late Iranian president at last farewell ceremony

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

Shanghai International Film Festival special gala showcases stories of filmmaking