March 22-23, 2014

www.farhang.org

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SPECIAL THANKS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

2014 NOWRUZ PROGRAM AT A GLANCE

OUR VOLUNTEERS

OUR SPONSORS

DR. LINDA KOMAROFF for her continued commitment to programming in support of Iranian art and culture.

JILANA STEWART for her positive energy and dedication to this program.

DR. LATIFEH HAGIGI for her continous efforts in coordinating the youth program and activities with the support of UCLA Iranian Studies Program Students.

FARIBA AMERI & HALEH GABBAY for their vision, commitment and tireless efforts to launch the 1st annual “Traditional Iranian Costume Parade”.

SHIDEH SHAHRAIES for designing the beautiful tradional Iranian costumes.

CAROL IZAD & NEDA ROUHANI for spearheading the youth programming and their enthusiasm to expand the activities.

CHEF HOSS ZARÉ & CHEF RUI WANG for their collaboration and creating delectable Persian inspired eats.

THE AUDIO / VISUAL TEAM AT LACMA for their professionalism and teamwork.

KIRN670AM RADIO IRAN & JAVANAN MAGAZINE for their continued support and promotion of Farhang Foundation’s programs.

 NOWRUZ COMMITTEE CHAIR:  Hormoz Ameri, TrusteeFILM FESTIVAL COMMITTEE CHAIR:  Mark Amin, TrusteeEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Bita MilanianPROGRAMS MANAGER: Sanam Zahir

Funding for this program was provided by Farhang Foundation with contributions from its Board of Trustees and Sponsors.

Bahar AminiYeganeh AminiSiavash AnvariSogol AshrafianSaman AzimtashSabrina BroomandanSandra BroomandanBehrooz CohenMinoo DargahKhashayar DolatLadan DorrizStephanie FarokhiMaryam HanserAni HonarchianRoujin JabbariKimia KarianEeman KhorramianShireen LankaraniNazafarin MalektojarAmanda MartinezGolnaz MohebbiRoxanna MoridzadehNicole MotamedLadan NejadNasim NiktashNazanin PajoomDeniz SadeghiSafoura SadeghianpourSamira SariolghalamShideh ShahraiesHamideh SharifiParinosh SharifiSahba ShayaniMahta ShayeganShirin ShirvanifarKayla TaheriSonya TamaddonYasmeen TsipenaArash VafanejadFariba VesaliFarin YazdaniSoroush YazdiLilliana Zar

DIAMOND Neda Nobari FoundationU.S. Trust

GOLDHadi MorshedWells Fargo

SILVERBuchalter NemerComerica BankGursey Schnider LLPJohn & Hilda Arnold FoundationPrimex International Trading Corp.SBE

March 23, 2014

11:30 A.M. – 5:00 p.m.

11:30 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.

NOON - 4:00 P.M.

NOON - 5:00 P.M.

2:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.

3:00 P.M.

5:00 P.M.

Haft-Sîn Display (Los Angeles Times Central Court)

Persian-themed Cuisine by CHEF HOSS ZARÉ & CHEF RUI WANG (Throughout Campus and Plaza Café)

Children & Youth Program (Director’s Roundtable Garden)Storytelling, Calligraphy & Puppet Show Traditional Persian Dancers (Los Angeles Times Central Court)

Screening of the Top 6 Films 2014 Farhang Short Film Festival (Brown Auditorium)Open to all, limited seating, no tickets required. Films shown on a loop.

Official Nowruz Program (Leo S. Bing Theater)Featuring World Premiere Performance of “Spring Love” by Ziba Shirazi

Through a splendid blend of music, dance, and imagery, “Spring Love” celebrates the dynamic traditions of Nowruz through the story of three generations of a family experiencing love at first sight.Seating is limited, $15 tickets available at LACMA box office.

Traditional Iranian Costume Parade (Los Angeles Times Central Court)

Docent-led Gallery Tour of LACMA’s Art of Ancient Iran Collection (Hammer Building)Tickets available at LACMA box office.

Live Outdoor Concert (BP Grand Entrance/North Plaza)             by the dynamic London-based Ajam

In an age when people relied on nature to distinguish what time of the year it was, local performers would take it upon themselves to wander from town to town to announce the coming of spring and the rebirth of nature. This year Ajam will pay homage to the once popular Nowruzkhāni performers by travelling from city to city to bring in the New Year in style.

Designed by Adroit Business Solutions, LLC. www.myadroit.com

Award Ceremony & Reception Master of Ceremony: Shirin Rajaee – ABC Santa Barbara News AnchorScreenings of the top film contenders, created by emerging talents from all over the world, as well as recognition of the top three winners of this year’s competition. An exclusive reception with the winners and other filmmakers follows, featuring Persian-themed appetizers, specially created for this event by Chef Hoss Zaré & Chef Rui Wang.

Seating is limited, tickets available at LACMA box office.

NOWRUZ CELEBRATION

FILM FESTIVALMarch 22, 20146:00 P.M. – 9:00 p.m.

BRONZEAmeriClerkship Medical SocietyThe Assurance Group, Inc. City National BankDadgostar Law LLPDAMOKADARIOUSH, Napa ValleyEast West BankFirst Credit BankGolchinMitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLPPhoenix HouseRamineh, Fani, Nowakhtar & Rashidi, LLPWoodbury University

FRIENDS OF FARHANGJordan MarketSabzee Mediterranean MarketStanford Wilk

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LACMA guests have the opportunity to enjoy delectable eats by Chef Rui Wang of the Patina Group at LACMA and ‘Food & Wine Magazine’ featured San Francisco-based guest Chef Hoss Zaré, who will be collaborating to create Persian- inspired dishes for this two-day event.

Chef Hoss ZarÉ & Chef Rui Wang

About Chef Hoss ZaréChef Hoss Zaré grew up on his family’s century old farms in Tabriz, Iran. In 1986, after completing mandatory service in the Iranian Air Force, he immigrated to San Francisco where his older brother owned and operated the iconic Billboard Café. In 1989, while enrolled as a pre-med student at UC Davis, he would drive to and from the City to work as a line cook at the historic Fly Trap Restaurant. It was there that owner Walter Zolezzi and Chef Craig Thomas mentored Zaré to the rank of Executive Chef. Over a 25 year career, Chef Hoss Zaré has established a loyal following, while at the helm of several restaurants including Aromi, Zaré Sacramento, and Bistro Zaré. After a stint in the Napa Valley, fate brought him back to the restaurant where his culinary journey began. He became the owner of The Fly Trap on August 8, 2008. Known for his over the top sense of Hoss-pitality, often embracing guests with Hossy-Hugs, he is the force that pumps life into the team. Recipient of many accolades, he’s been the subject of several publications. Currently, he is at work on a memoir and recipe book dedicated to his parents. www.flytrapsf.com About Chef Rui WangRui Wang was born in Harbin, China and spent the majority of her childhood in St Genis Pouilly, France. At an early age travelling throughout Europe, Rui’s passion was ignited for exploring foods and culinary techniques of different cultures. Her international travels have also shaped her drive to combine flavors and techniques from various cultures. Having lived in Los Angeles for the last 20 years, her roots are now firmly planted in Southern California. She has worked in many restaurants all over Los Angeles including Bistro 45 in Pasadena, Innovative Dining Group’s Delphine at the W in Hollywood, Wilshire restaurant in Santa Monica and Chef de Cuisine at Palihouse in West Hollywood. Rui Currently serves as Chef de Cuisine at LACMA for the Patina Restaurant Group.

In its sixth consecutive year, the 2014 Farhang Foundation Short Film Festival officially opened to the community at large on October 15, 2013. We called upon the public to submit short films visualizing some aspect of Iranian art, history, culture, crafts, geography, cuisine, or lifestyle that would inspire and spark the audience’s interest in learning more about Iranian art, history, and culture.Competing for $10,000 (first prize), $5,000 (second prize), and $3,000 (third prize), the top submissions will be screened on a loop between Noon and 5:00 p.m. on March 23rd in the Brown Auditorium.Thank you to this year’s participants. Your creativity and passion for Iranian heritage and the cinematic arts inspire us all!Special gratitude to this year’s Film Festival Jury Committee for their dedication to Farhang Short Film Festival:

Mark Amin - ChairNazanin Boniadi

Hassan IldariHamid Naficy

Navid NegahbanMahnaz Newman

NOTE: All submitted films were judged by the Jury Committee based on the film’s artistic merits only. Views expressed by the filmmakers do not represent those of Farhang Foundation or its Board Members and Management. Top six films listed in alphabetical order.

The 2014 Farhang Foundation Short Film Festival received over 110 submissions from all over the globe, including the United States, Iran, Canada, Italy and the United Kingdom to name a few. We are proud to announce that Farhang Foundation has selected the above 6 submissions as the finalists, based on their originality, creativity, storytelling, production value, and visualization of Iranian heritage.

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Children & Youth Program

The children & youth program during Nowruz Celebration at LACMA has grown over the past five years. In addition to the much-loved annual activities of the Haft-Sîn display, egg decorating, Persian Costume Photo Stand designed by Neda Rouhani, and Persian calligraphy illustrations by Zia Erfanian, this year, we have added even more activities including a Puppet Show by Vida Ghahremani!

11:30 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.Storytelling, Calligraphy & Puppet Show for Youth

Director’s Roundtable Garden

Coordinated by UCLA Iranian StudiesProgram Students

PUPPET SHOW

NOON – 3:00 P.M.Puppet Show by Vida Ghahremani

Director’s Roundtable Garden

Vida Ghahremani is an award-winning puppeteer and puppet builder, trained in puppetry, puppet design and construction at The Centre of Dramatic Arts in Tehran. She also participated in an Acting program at the School of Arts and Literature and launched her artistic career in 1985. Since 1987 she has written, directed, designed, and produced puppet shows for puppet theatres, TV programs, movies, and International festivals for children and adults.

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Tanya MekhtikhanyanChoreographer /Dancer

Sheyda MinaChoreographer/Daf

DaryaDancer

Ahou AlaghaStage Manager

Melody ShiraziCast

Cloe TishbiCast

Arezoo KoochakanMulti-Instrumentalist

Danny AkhavanFarid Vaghefi Nazari GuitarDanny & Farid: their instrumental album called “Dancing Flames” was released in 2005. www.DannyandFarid.com

Ali FarahaniMulti-Instrumentalist /Cast

Arash RodAudio / VisualWorking with Voice of America (VOA) since 2007 as the Los Angeles correspondent. www.arashrod.com

Vandad MassahzadehMusic Director /Multi-InstrumentalistVandad Massahzadeh was born in 1971 in Tehran- Iran. He is a highly talented Iranian Musician, Composer and Conductor and plays numerous instru-ments, including the Accordion, Daf, Piano and Flute. Vandad composed more than 20 original scores for theatrical plays and TV series and was presented with The Best Music Composer of The Year Award in 2005 in Iran. Vandad Massahzadeh immigrated to the United States in December 2012 and released his first instrumental Album, Melody of Love, on August 2013.

Shahaub RudbariChoreographer /DancerFormer member of the Iranian and US national Martial Arts teams and international gold medalist, Shahaub has pursued his education at UC Berkeley and the Academy of Art to receive an MFA in Directing. He now works full time as an Actor and Director, utilizing his cultural background and passion in order to entertain and inspire people from every background.

Matt AustinCastBorn and raised in California, Matt started acting at a very young age. He has starred on several network televis- ion shows and feature films such as; Raising Hope, Desperate Housewives, Body of Proof, Cowboy Junction and Crush on You.

2:00 P.M. - Leo S. Bing TheatrerSeating is limited, tickets available at LACMA box office.

Through a splendid blend of music, dance, and imagery, Spring Love

celebrates the dynamic traditions of Nowruz through the story of

three generations of a family experiencing

love at first sight.

Ziba ShiraziNarrator, Vocalist, Lyricist, Songwriter

Ziba Shirazi is an Iranian-American poet, singer, songwriter, and storyteller. She is known for her bold and provocative poetry and is often referred to as the voice of women in the Persian community. In 2008 Ziba was inspired to gather stories of Iranian -American immigrants who left Iran after the Islamic revolution in 1979. Moving from field to script to perfor- mance, mixed with montage of music, imagery, poetry, sound and movement; Ziba named her project Story & Song and took her first performance on stage in Los Angeles in the Fall of 2009. Since then she has had more than 50 performances in U.S., Canada and Europe, and about 20,000 people have attended the Story & Song perfor-mances. - www.zibashirazi.com

Dr. Theresa LarkinDirector

Dr. Theresa Larkin is a tenured full professor in the Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance and has been a professor of Theatre Awrts at Cal State LA since 1989. Her areas of expertise span a wide spectrum of specialized practice in the performing arts and related disciplines, including performance training, arts management, social sciences, cultural studies, media philo- sophy, and communications.

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This year, we welcome individuals of all ages to participate in the inaugural Traditional Iranian Costume Parade, the newest addition to this year’s programming lineup, which takes place at 3:00 p.m. starting in the LA Times Central Court. The community is invited to join the Parade dressed in their preferred traditional costumes of their favorite region of Iran and have a chance to win prizes, by just participating in the Parade.

In an age when people relied on nature to distinguish what time of the year it was, local performers would take it upon themselves to wander from town to town to announce the coming of spring and the rebirth of nature. This Year Ajam will pay homage to the once popular Nowruzkhāni performers by travelling from city to city to bring in the New Year in style. With extensive research and field studies in the various Nowruzkhāni per-formance style from historic regions of Tabarestan, Koomeh, Rey, and Astarabad in the foothills of the Alborz Mountains and the Caspian Rim, Ajam will be bringing the quick-witted, spiritual, and lively character of the Nowruzkhāni performers to life for audiences around the world. The performances will include original pieces from Ajam’s well-known first album and upcoming second album. As always Ajam’s performance will take the audience on a small tour of Iran and they will also present how Nowruz is celebrated along coast of the Persian Gulf.

Ajam is a cultural experience of Iranian Roots Music not to be missed.

Amin AjamiArash Fayyazi

Nari ManParham Ajami

Sara Fotros

Shohreh Khaatoon

vocals, oud, dotaar, guitar & sornavocals, tar, nobaang, choghoor & barbatdrums , drum machine, backing voxsorna, balaban, ghoshmeh, clarinet, vocals, dayereh & tombakdaf, tombak, dosar-kotan (naghareh) & dayereh keyboards & backing vox

5:00 P.M.BP Grand Entrance

3:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M.LA Times Central CourtRaffle Prize Drawing at 4:00 P.M.

Check-in 2:30 - 3:00 P.M. by the Haft-Sin Displayto receive your raffle ticket

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Afsoon Riazi, a graphic designer based in Vancouver, Canada has created this year’s winning design, at the heart of which is a red apple. Signifying health and beauty, a red apple is traditionally among the seven essential items that are featured in the Haft-Sîn, one of the centerpieces of Nowruz where each article symbolically corresponds to some aspect of life, nature, or creation.

Nowruz Banner Design WINNER

AFSOON RIAZI

Nowruz always invokes bright, inspiring and cordial memories that delightfully resonate in all of my Nowruz-related projects,” said Afsoon Riazi. “Its festivities gracefully represent the renewal of the Earth that occurs with the arrival of spring. This idea inspired me to create a symbolic illustration that embodies a new beginning in both eastern and western culture, through the use of the well-recog-nized motif of the Persian paisley (boteh jeghe) and the apple tree to reflect health and beauty in the renewal of the Earth.

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Afsoon Riazi

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Cyrus Cylinder ExhibitionIn 2013, for the first time in history, the Cyrus Cylinder, one of the ancient world’s most celebrated artifacts of freedom and human rights, traveled to 5 major U.S. cities in an exhibition titled The Cyrus Cylinder & Ancient Persia: A New Beginning. Accompanied by sixteen objects, the exhibition showcased the innovations initiated by Persian rule in the Ancient Near East (550 BC-331 BC), when the Per-sian Empire was then the largest the world had known. Farhang Foundation is proud to have been the sole financial and community sponsor of the tour’s final stop, Los Angeles, home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran, and worked closely with the Getty museum to ensure a successful exhibition at the Getty Villa from October 2 – December 8, 2013. The Cyrus Cylinder and Ancient Persia: A New Beginning, with just less than 75,000 visitors, became the number one exhibit based on weekly attendance average, in the history of the Getty Villa! During the weeks leading to and following this historic exhibition, Farhang Foundation sponsored over 15 pro-grams including a series of academic conferences, film screenings, books, lectures and educational opportuni-ties in collaboration with notable institutions such as the Getty, LACMA, USC, UCLA, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, and the PBS SoCal broadcast of Recreating Pasargadae: Cyrus the Great’s Paradise, to promote the ideals behind the Cyrus Cylinder. Through these programs Cyrus the Great and his ideals were introduced to over 55,000 additional attendees and viewers. Additionally, the launch of the Farhang Community and Education Outreach (CEO)

Committee allowed students a rare opportunity to learn about our culture through objects like the Cyrus Cylinder that is an enduring symbol of universal human rights, religious diversity and freedom. The CEO Committee helped facilitate field trips for over 160 schools and 10,000 students who would not have had the chance otherwise and provided “Cyrus Workshops” to several schools, reaching hundreds of teachers and students in Los Angeles and Orange County. CEO will continue its efforts to build bridges to more schools in our community in the future, giving more of our community-at-large the opportunity to learn about Iranian art and culture. The success of this exhibition and its supporting programs is due to the generosity and support of many of our community leaders and patrons. Even though the exhibition is now over, thanks to the generosity of our supporters, its message will resonate for years to come. To assure that, Farhang Foundation is planning an inter-national competition for the design and installation of a permanent piece of public urban art titled, “Freedom: A Shared Dream”. This large-scale project will celebrate the ideals of Cyrus the great that resonate with all hu-manity, with winning submission to be built and gifted to the City of Los Angeles, by Farhang Foundation on behalf of the Iranian American community. The Cyrus Cylinder national tour was organized by the British Museum in partnership with the Iran Heritage Foundation and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution.

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Hormoz AmeriMark AminDar Gabbay Shazad GhanbariAhmad Gramian - Vice Chairman

Darioush KhalediFasha MahjoorRon MavaddatAria MehrabiFarhad Mohit - Vice Chairman

Shulamit NazarianAnoosheh M. OskouianHooshang PakAli C. Razi – ChairmanShidan Taslimi

Management TeamBita Milanian - Executive DirectorHassan Izad - Chief Financial OfficerSanam Zahir – Programs ManagerShahram Soleimani - Secretary

Eric Anvari - Deputy SecretaryDavid W. Newman - Legal Counsel (Pro Bono)Haydeh Shirmohammadi - Special Projects Director

Advisory CommitteeJanet Afary - University of California Santa BarbaraElizabeth Carter - University of California Los AngelesFereshteh Daftari - Independent Scholar and CuratorTouraj Daryaee - University of California Irvine - Academic CoordinatorLayla Diba – Independent Scholar and CuratorArash Khazeni - Pomona CollegeLinda Komaroff - Los Angeles County Museum of ArtAfshin Matin-Asgari - California State University Los AngelesSheida Mohamadi - Poet-in Residence at Maryland UniversityAli Mousavi - Los Angeles County Museum of ArtShirin Neshat - Modern ArtNasrin Rahimieh - University of California IrvineShardad Rohani - COTA Symphony Orchestra - Los AngelesKourosh Taghavi - Namâd Ensemble

Board of Trustees

Fine Arts CouncilRoshi Rahnama – ChairFirouzeh Ameri Amir Angha Ladan Behnia Azadeh Dadgostar Shahrzad Farhadi Ati FarmaniShazad Ghanbari – TrusteeShahpar Khaledi Homa Mahmoudi Shulamit Nazarian –TrusteeMaryam Pak Anousheh Razi Mehrzad Roshan Katy Saei

Patron CouncilAbdi Rais – ChairPouria Abbassi Nazfar Afshar Farhad Bahar Ahmad Gramian –TrusteeSaid JabbariAfshin KatebReza MomeniHadi Morshed

UCLA CouncilMark Amin – TrusteeFarhad Mohit – TrusteeAli C. Razi – Trustee

Generations CouncilAmir Hemmat – ChairAli Elahi Ali FakhariFarhad Mohit – Co-Chair, TrusteeSara PakSheila ParsaNaseem Sagati

Orange County CouncilAssad Kazeminy – Chair Bijan FazeliShazad Ghanbari –TrusteeGilda Gilak - SecretaryFariba Hezar Mona Karimpour Sharo Khastoo Parmis Khatibi Tannaz Mazarei Pedram Mizani Anoosheh M. Oskouian – TrusteeDariush Rachedi

Iranian Studies CouncilHaleh Emrani – ChairAmir Aalam Mehrdad Amanat Akbar Azad Houshang Dadgostar Ahmad Gramian – TrusteeHassan Izad –CFORon Mavaddat –TrusteeMichael Saei Sussan Sharifian Farrok Yazdi

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