Sadeghî is among the first names that come to mind when Kurdish theatre is mentioned. Born in the city of Sanandaj, he works as a theatre director, playwright, film actor, and arts educator. Considered one of the leading academics of Kurdish art and culture in Iran, Sadeghî founded the Honar Theatre Group in the early 1980s, regarded as one of the country’s most important and artistically influential theatre ensembles.

 

He graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts at University of Tehran in 1975. In 1979, he completed a master’s degree in Dramatic Arts at Sorbonne University, where he later earned his doctorate in 1985.

 

Having devoted 40 years of his life to Kurdish theatre, Sadeghî has written 80 plays and directed 60 productions to date. Most recently, he wrote and directed “Moraşîn,” a play staged in Amed (Diyarbakır) that received widespread acclaim.

 

‘KURDISTAN IS SEEN AS A CENTER OF ART’

 

Sadeghî said Kurdish theatre and cinema have developed significantly in every field, noting that Eastern Kurdistan is one of the regions where this growth is most visible. He said there are theatre groups and festivals in various cities across Iran.

 

“In Iran, Kurds are mostly recognized through their artistic identities. Other peoples in Iran see Kurdistan as a center of art. Many renowned filmmakers, theatre artists, writers, poets, and musicians live in Eastern Kurdistan. We are pioneers not only in modern arts, but also in classical and traditional arts. Kurdistan is a place where rituals, customs, and the traditional govend dance culture have been preserved,” he said.

 

Sadeghî stressed that Kurdish filmmakers and artists must remain in constant production while preserving and understanding their rich mythology and history. He said: “A Kurdish artist must respond to the current needs of their people through this cultural heritage. Society needs these works. The gaps in art should be filled in this way. Others should not be allowed to fill those gaps for us."

 

He also emphasized that Kurdish artists should serve as a “bridge” between generations and added: “For this reason, they must remain in constant struggle. They must continuously produce and create new works for the needs of their society."

 

Sadeghî underlined the need for an artistic approach free from imitation, saying each generation should enrich the existing level of culture and art and pass it on to the next generation.

 

Sadeghî said: “The only way to achieve this is by raising our level of knowledge. We should not imitate Western or Eastern works as they are. We must create on the basis of the characteristics of our own culture and art. Many of our cultural elements differ from those of Turks, Persians, and Arabs. Our bond with our people must never be broken, and there should always be a living relationship between us."

 

THE ARTISTIC MODEL IMPOSED BY THE WEST

 

Sadeghî said the greatest obstacle facing artistic production today is what he described as a “superficial and everyday understanding of art” originating from the United States. Comparing this approach to “fast food culture,” he argued that it lacks depth and national characteristics.

 

Sadeghî said: “This low-quality understanding of art, spread across the world through the media, is one of the biggest obstacles to the development of art today. Behind this major cultural assault imposed on us through art by America and Europe stand economic and political powers. It prevents Kurdish artists from gaining self-confidence and discovering themselves. This assault makes it difficult for Kurdish artists to recognize the values unique to their own people. Kurdish artists are instead looking more at what others are doing, rather than questioning what they themselves should create as artists of the Kurdish people."

 

Sadeghî said these “attacks” in the field of art have created confusion among Kurdish artists, adding: “The models nourished by our history are gradually disappearing. Our duty is to rediscover the models unique to the Kurds. Of course, we should also incorporate modern developments and technology in world art into our own work. But we must produce works that belong to our people.”

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut