Oscar 2020 predictions: Best Iranian entries

As the gears of the 2020 Oscar machine are already back in motion, ifilm English has decided to make way-too-early guesses of the potential 2020 Academy Award contenders from Iran that have screened for audiences so far this year.

There is no better place to start than ‘Night of the Full Moon’, a film by Narges Abyar starring Houtan Shakiba as Abdul-Hamid Rigi, a member of the Jundallah terrorist group and his costar Elnaz Shakerdoust.

‘Night of the Full Moon’ nabbed as many as six Crystal Simorgh awards from the 37th Fajr Film Festival—this film has easy potential to even land a best-film nod.

Same goes for Peyman Maadi’s ‘Bomb, A Love Story’, which on its face seems like a prime candidate for the 92nd Oscars.  

Succeeded to win Best Director Award from the 6th International Bosphorus Film Festival, the 97-min feature shows how, even when faced with the darkness of death, love and hope will find a way.  

The most talked about Fajr award-winning film ‘6.5 per Meter’ by Saeed Roustaee has similar appeal, starring Navid Mohammadzadeh, Amir Jadidi, Parinaz Izadyar and internationally celebrated actor/director Peyman Maadi.

Perhaps ‘The Warden’ by Nima Javidi can also fight its way into the Oscar race, avenging top tier of best film hopefuls.

The film depicts an old prison in the late 1960s in southern Iran to be evacuated as it is close to the city’s airport which is under development.

The head of the prison, Major Nemat Jahed, and his officers are in the midst of transferring the prisoners to the new facility.

Also debuting in Fajr Filmfest to rave reviews was the 18th film from another master auteur, Reza Mirkarimi, much-lauded ‘Qasr-e Shirin’ which is a drama themed around love and hatred.

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