Earth Day Film Festival awards Iranian ‘Beloved’

The 2020 edition of the Earth Day Film Festival in the US has awarded acclaimed Iranian documentary ‘Beloved’.

Directed by Yasser Talebi, the 54-minute doc won the Best Directing award at the US event.

The event’s website wrote, “Eighty-two-year-old Firouzeh is not afraid of hard work. From dawn to dusk, the fiercely independent herder takes care of her beloved cows in the mountains of Northern Iran, without any access to electricity, gas or phone. Married at a young age to an older man, she's long been a widow, and none of her 11 children ever come to visit. But she enjoys her solitary life in harmony with nature, and won't hear the well-meaning advice from nearby villagers that maybe it’s time to retire. No matter the difficulties, this indomitable woman will always choose her hard-won freedom over comfort among people.”

‘Beloved’ is about the difficult but favorable life of an 82-year-old mother named Firouzeh who runs a unique life in the Alborz Mountains in the northern part of 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.

‘Beloved’ received the best feature documentary award and a diploma at the Kazan International Muslim Film Festival in Russia's Republic of Tatarstan, a special mention at the Shanghai TV Festival in China, nomination at the Pärnu International Documentary and Anthropology Film Festival in Estonia, Special Prize at the Kranjska Gora International Film Festival in Slovenia, and NETPAC Award at the Ulju Mountain Film Festival in South Korea

It has also taken the first place among the top five mid-length films selected by the Canadian audience at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in Toronto and won the grand prize at the International Festival of TV Broadcasters and Independent Producers - SIMFEST in Romania.

Moreover, the doc won the Best Documentary award at the Dhaka International Film Festival in Bangladesh, the grand prix at the Autrans international Mountain film festival in France, and the award for the best film of the year at the International Outdoor Documentary Film Festival of China.

The Earth Day Film Festival is aimed to fostering global community through Earth-minded film and art with clean energy and zero waste goals. Its goal is to honor the Earth in each step of the process.

Read more:

Romania’s SIMFEST awards Iranian ‘Beloved’

‘Beloved’ named best at OUTDOCS fest

Iranian ‘Beloved’ grabs Bangladesh filmfest award

French filmfest honors Iran’s ‘Beloved’

China honors ‘Beloved’

Spanish filmfest honors Iran’s ‘Beloved’

Iranian ‘Beloved’ wins 6 awards at international fests

‘Beloved’ doc publishes official trailer

MG/AG