Berlinale to screen Iran’s documentary ‘Beloved’

Iranian documentary ‘Beloved’, directed by Yasser Talebi, has made it to the 69th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival in Germany.

‘Beloved’ will take part in the Culinary Cinema section of the German event.

The 63-minute doc is about the difficult but favorable life of an 83-year-old mother named Firouzeh who runs a unique life in the Alborz Mountains in northern Iran.

Firouzeh hikes across the rugged landscape carrying bundles of wood. When she was a young girl, a marriage was arranged for her with an older man, with whom she had 11 children. Now, none of her children come to visit her and her attempts to get closer to them remain futile.

The film took part at the competition section of the 2018 International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam in the Netherlands. It also has been selected to be screened at the upcoming edition of Iran’s Fajr Film Festival.

Founded in 1951, the Berlin International Film Festival is one of the world’s leading film events.

The Culinary Cinema “reflects its respect for filmmakers who use their craft to pay tribute to the individual work of farmers, fishers and chefs. It scrutinizes the power of the industry and fights against the increasing trivialization, both in filmmaking and food, brought about by a lack of attention,” according to the website of the event.

“Films about the dark sides of the food world, such as hunger and poor nutrition, monocultures, factory farming and the climate change it brings about, are also an important part of the program because they raise awareness about the consequences of our eating habits,” the website reads.

The 69th edition of the festival will take place on February 7-17, 2019 in the German capital.

SQ/MG