Mani Haghighi’s ‘A Dragon Arrives’ has won the Critics’ prize at the 12th Bucharest International Film Festival (BIFF) week.
According to the jury, the film was recognized worthy of the prize as it represents a new aspect of Iranian cinema and combines different genres of documentary and fantasy; a film that captivates the audience through its colorful pictures and mysterious storyline, icinema.ir reported.
The movie was Iran’s only participant in the competition section of the 66th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) in February where it got positive reviews from acclaimed critics.
Haghighi’s 6th feature film as a director was shot in Tehran and Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf. Actors Amir Jadidi, Homayoun Ghanizadeh, Ehsan Goudarzi and Kiana Tajammol are in the cast.
The story follows three adventurous young men who run into danger due to their non authorized investigation into the legend of a seismological phenomenon in an ancient graveyard on a mysterious island.
The storyline comprises multiple narrators, flashbacks, and flight-of-fancy dramatizations of past events, all of which contribute to drive the narrative.
‘50 Kilos of Sour Cherry’ Sells Well
Since the beginning of the Persian New Year (started March 20), another film by Haghighi is also on screen in the country. ‘50 Kilos of Sour Cherry’ is a star-studded romantic comedy with Farhad Ayish, Afsaneh Bayegan, Siamak Ansari, Vishka Asayesh, Mehran Ghafurian, Behnoosh Bakhtiari, Soroush Sehat, Ali Sadeqi, Saed Soheili and others in the cast.
The film has earned $1.6 million so far in Tehran, attracting one million fans. It currently ranks second in the annual box office list just behind Manouchehr Hadi’s hit ‘I’m Not Salvador’.
With the sale of tickets in other cities, the film has taken in $2.6 million in all, placing it in the fourth spot in Iran’s all-time bestsellers. Its screening will continue for at least another month.
Haghighi, 46, is a filmmaker, screenwriter and actor, best known for the tragicomedy ‘Modest Reception’, which was screened in the Berlin fest’s Forum Section in 2012 and won the NETPAC Prize for Best Asian Film.
