![\"K\u2019Von](\"http:\/\/www.daytonastateinmotion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/MG_1390.jpg\")
Michelle Cretella\/In Motion<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/a>
\n\u201cA lot of Persian movies focus on very heavy topics and even depict Persians as very sad. But I know from my experience that these people are quite the opposite and that\u2019s what I wanted to share,\u201d said Moezzi.<\/p>\n
A powerhouse of positive energy, Moezzi has appeared on two seasons of MTV\u2019s prank show, \u201cDisaster Date,\u201d the Showtime channel with Russell Peters, CNN\u2019s \u201cHLN\u201d and ABC\u2019s \u201cGood Morning America.\u201d When he\u2019s not on tour, Moezzi, who lives in Reno, Nev., often shares the stage with some of the biggest names in comedy, including Daniel Tosh and Dane Cook.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough Nowruz, the Persian New Year, is a holiday celebrated by millions of people worldwide, people in the United States aren\u2019t really aware of it,\u201d said Moezzi.<\/p>\n
Moezzi himself wasn\u2019t even aware of the holiday until he was an adult.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, instead of getting angry with his father for not educating his family about Persian culture, Moezzi grabbed a camera crew and set out to learn about a traditional holiday he was previously unaware of.<\/p>\n
The one-of-a-kind, comedy-based documentary not only teaches about the history of Iran, but it also provides an inside look at life on the road as a comedian, all while managing to keep the audience laughing.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people aren\u2019t really aware of anything regarding Iran, other than what they see on the news, so it\u2019s great that the film is so positive,\u201d said Pat Konover, a guest at the event held at the end of January.<\/p>\n
Admission to the event included a cocktail reception, dinner and dessert catered by the College, Moezzi\u2019s famous stand-up comedy, a screening of the film, and a Q&A session with Moezzi himself.<\/p>\n
T-shirts and DVDs were available for purchase and guests quickly got in line to take home their own little pieces of Nowruz.<\/p>\n
Overall the NOOR Iranian Film Festival successfully illuminated unique aspects of Iranian culture, and taught that Christmas and Easter have a lot in common with Nowruz so the two cultures aren\u2019t so different after all.<\/p>\n
Preceding \u201cNowruz Lost & Found,\u201d Cinematique of Daytona presented a shorts program that included the winner of \u2018Best Short Film,\u2019 \u201cMore Than Two Hours\u201d and \u2018Best Animation\u2019 winner, \u201cThe Hard Dream.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now in its seventh year, the NOOR Iranian Film Festival provides an open platform for filmmakers to express themselves, create dialogue on a global scale and build a community of Iranians and non-Iranians alike.<\/p>\n
The Ancient Persia – Modern Iran Program Series is a joint presentation of the Iranian American Society, Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona State College, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the Southeast Museum of Photography and the Department of Cultural Arts at Daytona State College.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Caitlin Peterson In Motion Staff Writer For the past five years, Daytona State College and Cinematique of Daytona have presented select highlights from the annual NOOR Iranian Film Festival and this year\u2019s centerpiece was \u2018Audience Favorite\u2019 winner, \u201cNowruz Lost & Found,\u201d directed by K\u2019von Moezzi. The objective of the festival Continue reading NOOR Iranian Film Festival \u2018illuminates\u2019 museum<\/span>