Spain’s Vinaròs learning Iranian ‘Driving Lessons’

The 19th edition of the International Short Film Festival of Vinaròs in Spain has been screening acclaimed Iranian short title ‘Driving Lessons’.

Directed by Marzieh Riahi, the 13-minute film is about Bahareh, who must have her traditional chauvinistic husband accompany her during driving lessons so that she and her instructor are not left together without a third party’s presence.

‘Driving Lessons’ is starring Linda Kiani, Alireza Sanifar, Salar Khamseh, and Sanaz Mesbah.

The short film has received a number of awards at events such as the 16th Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival in Armenia, the 2019 “I Will Tell” international film festival in the UK, the 2019 Topaz Film Festival by Women in Film Dallas in the US, the 22nd Religion Today Film Festival in Italy, the 13th Film Festival for Women's Rights in South Korea, the 21st Through Women’s Eyes International Film Festival in the US, the 42nd Annual Big Muddy Film Festival in the US, the 20th Ojai Film Festival in the US, and qualification for the short film category of the Oscars 2020.

‘Driving Lessons’ has gone on screen at several global events, including the 49th Tampere Film Festival in Finland, the 59th Cartagena Film Festival in Colombia, as well as the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, the 42nd Mill Valley Film Festival, the 2020 Big Muddy Film Festival, the 2020 Houston Iranian Film Festival, and the 50th Nashville Film Festival, all in the US, as well as the 12th Elles Tournent Festival in Belgium, the 2020 Dhaka International Film Festival in Bangladesh, the 10th Karama Human Rights Film Festival in Jordan, the 32nd Exground Film Festival in Germany, the 17th Shnit Worldwide Short Film Festival in Switzerland, the 2nd Best of Fests of the North Texas Film Festivals in the US, the 9th Elles Font Leur Cinema in France, the 21st Through Women’s Eyes International Film Festival in the US, the 8th annual Friss Hús Budapest International Short Film Festival in Hungary, the 13th Trenton Film Festival in the US, the International Regensburg Short Film Week in Germany, the 2020 Beirut International Women Film Festival in Lebanon, and the 29th Brattleboro Women’s Film Festival in the US.

The flick is also slated to compete at the 15th Macon Film Festival in the US and the 12th CiciliAmbiente Film Festival in Italy.

The 19th International Short Film Festival of Vinaròs has been slated for July 1-September 30, 2020.

Watch a trailer here.

MG/MG