Argentina’s UNCIPAR to screen ‘Are You Volleyball?!’

‘Are You Volleyball?!’, the most honored short film of Iran, has been set to compete at the 41st edition of the UNCIPAR international short film festival in Argentina.

Directed by Mohammad Bakhshi, the short film features a group of Arabic-speaking asylum seekers who try to make their way to the border in an English speaking country.

They get into a conflict with border guards every day up until a deaf-mute child becomes a catalyst for better communication between the two sides.

‘Are You Volleyball?!’ has attended several global events, including the Kinolub International Film Festival for Children and Youth in Poland, the FICTS - Federation Internationale Cinema Television Sportifs in France, the Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia in Japan, the Children’s Right International Film Festival in Turkey, the Hong Kong International Film Festival, the Speechless Film Festival in the US, the Kinolikbez film festival in Russia, and the Pop Corn Festival del Corto in Italy.

The 15-minute film has so far won several awards, including Best Film Prize from the Al-Nahj Film Festival in Iraq, Best Film and Best Screenplay awards at the Short Film Competition section at the US Forum on Law, Culture & Society, Best Film at the BCN Sports Film Festival in Spain and Best Editor award at the Bucharest ShortCut Cinefest in Romania.

The UNCIPAR aims to promote the genre of short film and introduce the achievements of the new talents. Besides screening the films, the fest holds workshops, debates and exhibitions for children.

The 41st UNCIPAR is slated for August 17-19 in the Argentinean city of Pinamar.

MG/AG