OKO ethnographic film festival awards Iranian ‘Nomadic Girl’

The OKO - International Ethnographic Film Festival in Poland has picked Iranian documentary ‘Nomadic Girl’ as the best short.

Directed by Rouhollah Akbari, the documentary follows the daughter of one of the nomadic tribes, who, despite all the problems caused by the traditions and common beliefs about girls exercising, achieves much success in kickboxing.

She also tries to persuade the families of other girls in the area to encourage their daughters to attend training classes in a nomadic black tent.

The documentary was also screened at the Kazan International Muslim Film Festival, which took place in September in the capital of Tatarstan, a semi-autonomous region in southwest Russia.

The OKO is “a festival of ethnographic and anthropological documentaries, where the audience will watch and feel the heartbeat of small and large nations, get acquainted with the diversity of cultures, traditions, beliefs, and ways of life”, according to an online submission platform.

It is “a multicultural event where filmmakers, folklorists, anthropologists, and ethnographers will be able to better understand each other, share ideas, and agree on future cooperation”.

The 3rd edition of the OKO International Ethnographic Film Festival was held on November 13-18. It took place in Poland this year due to the war in Ukraine.

MG/AG