International Home Cinema Inc

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An extensive art background, began in his native Iran. While Rafigh Pooya was still a young boy, it developed a passion for Motion Pictures, he finished his education at UCLA receiving his MFA (Masters of Fine Arts) in Motion Pictures. ​ His first feature film, "In Defense of People" was an Official Selection for the Cannes Film Festival (Director's Fortnight) in 1981. This was the first time a Documentary film had ever been chosen for the festival. In "Defense of People" was honored with the International Jury Prize at the 24 Leipzig Film Festival, Germany. It also garnered an International Chicago Film Festival Award. This was only the beginning as it also was an Official Selection at so many more Film Festivals such as Montreal, Calcutta, Edinburgh and San Palo and was commercially released in the United States, France, United Kingdom, Germany and many other countries. ​ In the spirit of independent film making, in 1984 Rafigh Pooya founded International Home Cinema Inc. It was a production, distribution and exhibition company. He took over the Fox Theater in Venice California from The Landmark Corp. ​ I.H.C Inc., began acquiring films from around the World for North American Distribution, which had there Premiers at the Fox International Theater. Mr. Pooya introduced many International films and film makers to the American public, such as Emir Kusturica, Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Ola Snake, Amir Naderie, Bahram Biezar and Solbadon Sijan. ​ In 1986 Mr. Pooya was honored with the Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Programming and Film Exhibition. ​ Anxious to return to film making Mr. Pooya produced and art directed the indenpendent feature "Guest of the Hotel Astoria" in 1988 (Official Selection 1989 Venice Film Festival and the Moscow Film Festival and introduced Oscar Nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo). ​ Mr. Pooya then began writing the script, collaborating with Rustam Ibragimbekov (Burnt by the Sun, Oscar 1995), that would become "Broken Bridges', the English language dramatic feature film that he Directed and Co-Produced. Broken Bridges was shot in the U.S., Russia and Azerbaijan with an ensemble of an international cast and crew. ​ When Broken Bridges was released theatrically in the United States, The Los Angeles Times wrote: "Rafigh Pooya's Broken Bridges is beautiful and heartfelt. ​ In 2009 Rafigh Pooya completed his screenplay, For the Love of Rumi, a feature length English language love story. ​ In 2010 Mr. Pooya completed his screenplay for the science fiction romantic thriller, "Born Again American", a feature length English language film, which he plans to direct.