FIFF announces ‘Docs in Focus’ titles

Seven new documentary titles to be screened at the 37th annual Fajr International Film Festival have been announced.

The Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF) has announced the names of seven new documentaries scheduled to be screened as part of the 37th annual event’s ‘Docs in Focus’ section.

One of the titles in the lineup is ‘Eduardo Galeano Vagamundo’ directed by Brazilian director Felipe Nepomuceno.

The synopsis for the 2018 film reads: “A hug movie, for the biggest storyteller in Latin America.”

Next up is ‘Midnight Traveler’ directed by Afghan director and cinematographer Hassan Fazili.

The 2019 documentary is the story of Afghan director Hassan Fazili who is forced to flee his country along with his wife and two daughters after the Taliban puts a bounty on his head. Fazili depicts a firsthand account of the dangers and uncertainty an asylum seeker on the run has to face, while accompanied by his family.

The list goes on to include ‘Palace for the People’ directed by Georgi Bogdanov and Boris Missirkov of Bulgaria.

The Bulgarian directing duo's 2018 film covers the most iconic landmarks of Eastern Europe’s socialist era during the second half of the 20th century. The unique architectural features and hidden secrets of these historic socialist structures are unveiled, as the film reveals snapshots through the eyes of their architects and directors.

 Italian director Abel Ferrara’s ‘Piazza Vittorio’ also made it to the list.

The 2018 piece celebrates Rome’s famous Piazza Vittorio square, depicting the unique aspects of one of the city’s most vibrant, ethnically diverse areas which has become home to many artists including the director himself.

Palestinian-Canadian director and veteran activist Rifat Audeh’s 2018 film ‘The Truth: Lost at Sea’ is the lineup’s next title.

The documentary reveals the 2010 Israeli attack on the Freedom Flotilla, a convoy of humanitarian ships which sought to highlight Palestinian’s suffering in Gaza and break the barbaric siege on the city. The director, who witnessed the account firsthand, utilized footage shot from aboard the Freedom Flotilla, depicting how the dead activists and their companions were portrayed, what really happened, and how the story was spun in conventional media outlets.

Next is ‘Heroes’ directed by Turkish filmmaker Köken Ergun.

The 2019 film covers an annual modern-day pilgrimage by Turkish, Australian, and New Zealander tourists to Gallipoli Turkey. Honoring their fallen soldiers in one of World War One’s bloodiest conflicts, some pilgrims refer to their fallen as heroes and others as martyrs, showing the difference in narratives.

Award-winning Russian director Vera Krichevskaya’s 2018 documentary ‘The Case’ is also on the list

The film tells the story of St. Petersburg’s first ever mayor and Vladimir Putin patron, Anatoly Sobchak, narrated by his daughter.

Established in 1982, the FIFF is an event that celebrates cultural exchange, displays creative achievements of highly acclaimed filmmakers, and pays tribute to local and international films.

Supervised by Iran’s Ministry of Culture, the festival hosts veteran directors and new filmmakers from Iran and across the world every year.

The 37th edition of the Iranian film event will screen films in nine categories including the International Competition, Eastern Vista, Festival of Festivals, Popular Genre Films and Burn Olives which is a window to the changes in the world of Islam today. The festival will be held April 18-26, 2019 in Tehran, Iran.

MB/AG