The 11th Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) has chosen Iran as guest of honor for this year’s event, and will be celebrating the work of great Iranian directors.
This year, the festival’s New World View section focusing on the current cinematic oeuvre of a certain film region, will screen a dozen new feature, documentary and short films from Iran, said a press release from the festival.
Iran has garnered international attention through the works of eminent directors Abbas Kiarostami (winner of Golden Palm in Cannes 1997 for ‘Taste of Cherry’) and Asghar Farhadi (2011 Oscar winner for ‘A Separation’).
But Iranian filmmaking has much more to offer. “The latest generation of filmmakers has questioned in an intelligent and entertaining manner the burning topics of present-day Iranian society,” Mehr News Agency reported.
A host of new productions offer deeper insight into the daily life of the modern Iranian society. They portray an extraordinarily multifaceted and innovative body of films that addresses current social issues such as family affairs, drug abuse and the clash of generations, while simultaneously exploring the filmic narrative of various genres.
The young directors include Shahram Mokri, whose debut ‘Fish & Cat’, a one-take horror movie, won the Orizzonti award in Venice in 2013; Hooman Seyedi, who claimed Pusan’s New Current Award last year for his visually spectacular gangster drama ‘13’; Ida Panahandeh, who won the special prize for promising futures at the ‘Un Certain Regard’ section of 2015 Cannes Film Festival for her feature debut ‘Nahid’ on the legal complications and social stigmas concerning divorce and remarriage in Iran; and Nima Javidi, director of the well-received ‘Melbourne’, about a middle class Tehran couple and their dreams of a new life.
Established in 2005, ZFF gives the audience an insight into the work of the most promising filmmakers from around the globe and to promote the exchange of ideas between established film workers, creative talent and the public.
The festival is slated for September 24-October 4.
