Göteborg filmfest screening Iranian-Czech ‘Son-Mother’

The 43rd edition of the Göteborg Film Festival in Sweden has been screening Iranian-Czech title ‘Son-Mother’.

Directed by Mahnaz Mohammadi, the film addresses the impact of tradition on the lives of women in present-day Iran, when a young widow is faced with the choice to either abandon her son or succumb to poverty.

‘Son-Mother’ is about a widow who works tirelessly at a failing factory in Iran. She receives a marriage proposal that could mean financial security — but could also tear her family apart.

The movie won awards for best film and best director at the Alice Nella Citta section of the 14th International Rome Film Festival in Italy.

It has gone on screen at a number of global events, including the 44th Toronto International Film Festival in Canada and the 15th Zurich Film Festival in Switzerland.

“Leila does not really have a choice. Ever since her husband died, she had to take care of her 12-year-old son Amir and his little sister on her own, and provide ... income without support. In addition, the Iranian economy, her free spirit, and the daily gossip could make her lose her factory job at any time. When the lovable, widowed bus driver Kazem proposes to her, she and her son are faced with making a serious decision – because this new marriage is tied to an impossible condition,” website of the 15th Zurich Film Festival in Switzerland wrote about the 102-minute ‘Son-Mother’.

Those starring in the flick include Raha Khodayari, Mahan Nasiri, Reza Behboudi and Shiva Ordouee.

Starting in 1979, the Göteborg Film Festival is the largest film festival in the Nordic countries. Each year the festival’s program group travels around the world to track down choice films to bring back to Göteborg.

These films are then presented during the ten-day festival at the end of January, creating a great banquet serving audiences with nearly 450 films from some 80 countries.

The 43rd edition of the event kicked off on January 24 and will run until February 3, 2020.

MG/AG