Let’s get updated with latest on Iranian cinema

Let’s get updated with the latest events in Iranian art of cinema during the past week.

The Ajyal Film Festival in Qatar awarded Iranian movie ‘Orca’. Directed by Sahar Mosayyebi, the movie won the audience choice award at the ninth edition of the Qatari event. A co-production from Iran and Qatar, ‘Orca’ tells the true story of the Iranian swimmer Elham-Sadat Asghari who earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

It follows the divorced Elham, who survives a horrific beating at the hands of her husband. Haunted by the traumatic experience and seeking to rediscover herself, she finds solace and salvation in the open expanse of water. Courageous, determined and encouraged by her father, she soon makes her mark as a formidable endurance swimmer. In the fight of her life, Elham faces obstacles in search of her ultimate goal, the Guinness world record for swimming the longest distance with her hands bound.

Iran’s internationally acclaimed director Asghar Farhadi grabbed a prize at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) in Australia. The 14th APSA gave the achievement in directing prize to Farhadi for his feature ‘A Hero’ which the event’s jury called “an intimate epic”.

Farhadi's feature is about Rahim, a divorced man who has been imprisoned due to unpaid debt. During a two-day leave, Rahim tries to prove that he is a good person.

Iranian short film ‘Daily Massacre in Tehran’ grabbed an award at the Rio de Janeiro International Short Film Festival – Curta Cinema – in Brazil. Hessam Hamidi’s latest directorial experience won the best directing award at the 2021 edition of the Brazilian event.

A synopsis for the short film reads, “Foad is a 12-year-old boy who comes to Tehran to make money and support his mother. He is willing and ready to take on any paying job, but each job brings with it a set of new challenges”.

Iranian film ‘Walnut Tree’ received two accolades at the Asian Film Festival Barcelona in Spain. Directed by Mohammad-Hossein Mahdavian, ‘Walnut Tree’ received the Best Film Award and Best Director Award.

Based on a true story, ‘Walnut Tree’ is a film about the chemical bombings of a region in northwestern Iran by the US-backed former Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein.

The Tokyo International Film Festival in Japan awarded Iranian movie ‘World Northern Hemisphere’. Written and directed by Hossein Tehrani, the movie won the award for the best future film in Asia at the 34th edition of the Japanese event.

‘World Northern Hemisphere’ is about racism. “Which race is superior?!” its synopsis reads.

Read more:

Iranian movie ‘Orca’ releases trailer

Iran’s Asghar Farhadi awarded at APSA

Curta Cinema awards ‘Daily Massacre in Tehran’

Tokyo filmfest awards Iran’s ‘World Northern Hemisphere’

Iran’s ‘Walnut Tree’ awarded at Asian Film Festival Barcelona

MG/AG