Iranian ‘Hit the Road’ to be screened in Houston

Iranian movie ‘Hit the Road’ has been scheduled to go on screen at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, in the US.

Written and directed by Panah Panahi, the movie will be screened on January 21 and 30.

‘Hit the Road’ follows a chaotic, tender family that is on a road trip across a rugged landscape, fussing over the sick dog and getting on each others’ nerves. Only the mysterious older brother is quiet.

Hassan Majouni, Pantea Panahiha, Rayan Sarlak, and Amin Simiar are on the cast list of the 93-minute movie.

“Crackling with energy and outbreaks of exuberant lip-syncing, riotously funny at times and quietly devastating at others...Panahi demonstrates a complete mastery of tricky tonal shifts: a very funny moment involving a cyclist is followed by a veiled heart to heart between the parents which gives some indication of the gravity of the journey,” wrote Wendy Ide from Screendaily.

“With a touch on the pedal so light you don’t even feel the woosh, Panah Panahi… goes instantaneously from zero to 60 with his debut feature… its 93 minutes whip by so airily, it’s possible not to realize how much you’ve learned to love the family whose road trip you’ve shared in, until the credits roll and you immediately start to miss them,” noted Jessica Kiang from Variety.

‘Hit the Road’ was a success during Directors' Fortnight at this year’s edition of the Cannes Film Festival in France.

Also set to participate in the 2022 International Film Festival Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the movie won the best film award at the BFI London Film Festival in the UK, two awards at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Saudi Arabia, Silver Screen Award at the Singapore International Film Festival, best movie award at the Mar del Plata International Film Festival in Argentina, and an honorable mention in the Best Young Actor section at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival in the US.

It has also gone on screen at some global events, including the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia, the Singapore International Film Festival, the Chicago International Film Festival in the US, the Calgary International Film Festival in Canada and the Zurich Film Festival in Switzerland, the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic, the Vancouver International Film Festival in Canada, the Sydney Film Festival in Australia, the Loft Film Fest in the US, the New Zealand International Film Festival, and the New Horizons International Film Festival in Poland.

The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston is one of the largest museums in the US that screens best films from around the world beside the exhibition of artworks.

The screening program will be held on January 21-23, 2022.

Another Iranian movie 'No Choice', directed by Reza Dormishian, will be screened on January 22.

Read more:

Iranian feature ‘Hit the Road’ releases trailer

London fest awards Iran’s ‘Hit the Road’

'Hit the Road’ wins at Fort Lauderdale Int'l Film Festival

‘Hit the Road’ wins award at Mar del Plata filmfest

‘Hit the Road’ wins at Singapore fest

Red Sea filmfest honors Iran’s ‘Hit the Road’

Iranian film ‘No Choice’ to be screened in US

MG/AG