Hatami, Zarei jointly gain Fajr best actress title

Acclaimed Iranian actresses Leila Hatami and Merila Zarei have shared the best actress award at the 35th edition of the Fajr Film Festival.

Hatami received the Crystal Simorgh for her role in Hamid Nematollah’s ‘Subdue’ and Zarei grabbed it for her appearance in Pouran Derakhshandeh’s ‘Under the Smoky Roof’.

Born in 1972, Hatami’s first appearance in a leading role was in the film ‘Leila’ (1997).

She has starred in numerous movies and won many prestigious awards throughout her successful career.

Appearing in movies such as ‘Sheida’, ‘The Deserted Station’, ‘Season Salad’, ’40 Years Old’, ‘A Separation’, and ‘The Orange Suit’, Hatami scored actress nominations of Crystal Simorgh for Best Actress In a Leading Role at the Fajr International Film Festival.

She has won several international awards, including Silver Berlin Bear at Berlin International Film Festival and Best Actress award at Montréal World Film Festival.

Hatami also won two Crystal Simorgh awards for ‘The Deserted Station’ in 2002 and ‘Down and Out’ in 2007.

Zarei, who shared the best actress award at the 2017 Fajr Film Festival with Hatami began her acting career with the series ‘Detective Alavi’ in 1994.

She has appeared in numerous series and movies, including ‘The Fifth Reaction’, ‘The Equation’, ‘The Bachelors’, ‘The Outcasts’, ‘The Sun Shines the Same on Everyone’, ‘A Tiny Mistake’, ‘The Sting and the Bee’, ‘A Separation’, ‘I'm Sleepy’, ‘Ch (Chamran)’, ‘Hush! Girls Don't Scream’, and ‘Bodyguard’.

Zarei was nominated for a Fajr International Film Festival Crystal Simorgh for her appearances in ‘The Unwanted Woman’, ‘About Elly’, and ‘Daughter’.

Zarei gained two Crystal Simorgh awards for ‘Friday Soldiers’ in 2003 and ‘Track 143’ in 2013.

The closing ceremony of 35th Fajr Film Festival was held on Thursday with Crystal Simorgh awards given to best nominees in each competitive category of the event.

Fajr Festivals are held annually in Iran during the Fajr Decade (literally meaning ten days of dawn), which marks the anniversary of the ten days from the return of Imam Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic, to Iran (February 1) until the victory day of the Islamic Revolution (February 11) in 1979.

Established in 1982, the Fajr International Film Festival celebrates cultural exchange, displays creative achievements of highly acclaimed cineastes and pays tribute to local and international films.

Since its establishment, the Fajr Film Festival has played a vital role in the development of Iranian Cinema.

MG/AG