Arab filmfest in Germany to screen Iranian feature

Iranian movie ‘Breath’ has been selected to compete at the 13th Arab Film Festival in Tübingen, Germany.

Directed by Narges Abyar, the wartime drama is an adaptation of a novel by the director herself.

It depicts a narrative unfolding a child’s fancy world amid the imposed war by Iraq’s then-dictator Saddam, that turns the kid’s life tumultuous.

The story of the film begins in the late 1970s in a suburb of Karaj, where Bahar, Nader, Kamal and Maryam live with numerous colorful dreams of their childhood along with their father and granny. The mother of the household, however, has died a few years ago.

The father, who suffers from asthma, works for a shoemaking company. In her dreams, Bahar, who narrates the story of the film, wishes to treat him when she becomes a doctor.

Iranian actors and actresses Gelare Abbasi, Mehran Ahmadi, Jamshid Hashempour, and Shabnam Moqaddami star in ‘Breath’.

The flick won a number of Crystal Simorghs, including the one for Best Film with National View at the 34th edition of the Fajr Film Festival in February, 2016, in Tehran. It has also been honored at various international cinematic events.

 Abyar bagged two Best Direction awards for the feature at the 2016 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and the 12th Vancouver International Women In Film Festival in Canada.

Arab Film Festival is a key venue for latest Arab films in German- speaking states, screening films from around the Arab world.

Since 2005, the event is held by the Union of Arab Students and Academics in Tübingen. In one of its sections “Window to Muslim World”, the filmfest displays movies from across Muslim lands, such as Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey.

The agenda comprises screening of more than 80 features, with the sections of competition (Audience Award), Panorama of Arab film, Retrospective and Special Screenings.

The 13th edition of Arab Film Festival in Tübingen is slated for October 6 to 14, 2017.

MF/MF