An important Asian event where ‘Track 143,’ one of the most acclaimed Iranian movies, is set to be screened, the 19th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will also see renowned Iranian director Asghar Farhadi chairing the jury of the New Currents competition section.
Held annually in Busan, South Korea, BIFF is one of Asia’s most significant film festivals, and attempts to introduce new films and first-time directors, especially from the region. It will run from October 2 to 11.
The New Currents 5-member jury led by Farhadi will assess 12 high-quality films selected for this year’s competition to discover Asian cinema potentials and upcoming Asian film talents, according to a press release.
Global Face
Farhadi is also a well-known screen writer. Global fame came to him with ‘About Elly’ and the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival.
However, with ‘A Separation’ he gained global acclaim. The movie won several awards at prestigious film festivals including the Berlin, Vancouver and Sydney International Film Festivals, and the Golden Globe Awards.
He won the 2012 Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film of the Year for ‘A Separation’, making him the first Iranian in history to win an Oscar. He was named one of the ‘100 Most Influential People in the World’ by Time magazine in 2012. His 2013 film ‘The Past’, which gave its lead actress Berenice Bejo, the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival, was introduced at ‘A Window on Asian Cinema’ section in the 18th BIFF. The domestic release of the film in Korea was a big success with great reviews by the Korean audience.
The New Currents jury has other acclaimed filmmakers and professors including: Dina Lordanova, professor at the University of St. Andrews; Jacques Rancière, emeritus professor at the University of Paris VIII and an esteemed French philosopher; Suhasini Maniratnam, Indian actress, director and screen writer; and Bong Joon-ho, Korean director.
The jurors will select 2 films for a $ 30,000 award each. New Currents is the only international section of the fete.
Most Praised
Meanwhile, an Iranian movie which has been highly praised locally in the current year will be screened in BIFF.
‘Track 143’ directed by Narges Abyar will be shown in ‘A Window on Asian Cinema’ section on October 4, 6, and 9.
The movie director and producer have been invited to attend the festival.
Abyar’s debut film gives a new image of war by portraying a martyr’s mother who longingly waits for her son’s return. She gets some good news; however, a big test awaits her. The movie is categorized as a ‘sacred defense’ film referring to the 1980-1988 Iraq-Iran war. The 8-year imposed war on Iran caused many families to lose their beloved ones.
The stunning performance by Iranian actress Merila Zare’I in the lead role brought her the Crystal Simorgh for the Best Actress at the 32nd Fajr International Film Festival (2014). Since then, she has been awarded more prizes for the same role by other local festivals.
‘Track 143’ is due for local release in November.
