Iranian ‘Driving Lessons’ grabs Beirut fest award

Iranian short film ‘Driving Lessons’ has garnered the Best Screenplay Award at the 2020 Beirut International Women Film Festival (BWFF) in Lebanon.

Marjan Riahi, the screenwriter of the short film, was honored with the above-mentioned award.

‘Driving Lessons’, also written and directed by Riahi, is about Bahareh who has a driving test to pass. She has to have her traditional chauvinistic husband accompany her during driving lessons so that she and her instructor are not alone together.  

Film’s cast members include Linda Kiani, Alireza Sanifar, Salar Khamseh, and Sanaz Mesbah.

‘Driving Lessons’ has previously grabbed more than 10 international awards, some of which are the Best Short Narrative award at the Through Women’s Eyes International Film Festival in the US, the Best Long Narrative award at the Annual Big Muddy Film Festival in the US and the jury’s special award at the Film Festival for Women's Rights in South Korea.

Founded in 2017, BWFF focuses on the theme of “Women for Leadership”. The festival highlights the role of women as leader in their societies.

The Lebanese festival announced the winners on August 9, 2020.

Read more:

Beirut Int'l Women Film Festival to host ‘Driving Lessons’

‘Driving Lessons’ to screen at Cine Invisible fest

PR/MM