Iran director to judge Australia fest

The Veterans Film Festival (VFF) in Australia has invited Iranian filmmaker Balal Taheri to join the jury.

To be held late this October, the festival selected Taheri along with former Chief of Australia’s Army Peter Leahy and Australian historian and documentarian Jonathan King to join the jury panel.

Taheri is director of the Cineport International Media, which is active in the international distribution of feature, documentary and short films.

Damien Thomlinson, actor (Hacksaw Ridge), Talissa Papamau, founder of Modern Soldier and author, and Sharon Bown, a wing commander, will also judge the short film section of the event in Canberra.

VFF screens films from around the world, which explore real or imagined stories about war and conflict.

It showcases stories that promote a greater understanding about veterans, their families, first responders and the impact of war on society.

The festival presents feature films and short form cinema from Australia and around the world, including: fiction, non-fiction, animation, documentaries, archival, TV series and virtual reality.

It offers a meeting ground and artistic canvas to engage with filmmakers, actors, festival audience and veterans of all ages, cultures and abilities.

The latest edition of VFF is slated for October 18-22, 2017, to be held in Sydney and Canberra.

MG/AI