Films of Celebrated Iranian, Foreign Directors at FIFF

The 20th Iranian International Film Market (IFM), held together with the 35th Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF), April 21-28, will screen over 30 domestic productions to the foreign audiences.

A total of 31 Iranian feature films will be shown to foreign guests, distributors, buyers and/or their representatives. If they are interested in any of the films, they can acquire the rights for showing or distribution, Mehr News Agency reported.

The screening program includes films directed by acclaimed filmmakers Bahman Farmanara, Tahmineh Milani and Mehdi Sabbaghzadeh. The veteran directors’ latest works did not compete in the national section of Fajr Festival in February.

‘I Want’, by Farmanara, 75, was produced four years ago but up until now its screening permit was not issued by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. The star-studded cast includes Reza Kianian, Mahnaz Afshar, Mohamadreza Golzar, Saber Abar, Roya Nonahali and Behnaz Jafari among others.

Known for touching controversy and sensitive issues like women’s rights, Milani 56, is one of the leading women filmmakers in Iran who will participate in the market with ‘Untaken Paths’ which features Milad Keymaram, Mahoor Alvand, Jamshid Hashempour, Afsar Asadi and Setareh Eskandari among others.

‘Paper House’ starring Parviz Parastoui is Sabbaghzadeh’s latest work. The film producer Tina Pakravan also appears in the film with Hossein Pakdel, Mehdi Pakdel and Setareh Eskandari.

Also in the list there are a number of productions which were welcomed at the national Fajr Festival including ‘Vila Residents’ by Monir Qeydi, ‘Negar’ by Rambod Javan, ‘Midday Story’ by Mohammad Hussein Mahdavian’, ‘Ferrari’ by Alireza Davoudnejad, ‘Asphyxia’ by Fereydoun Jairani and ‘Abajan’ by Hatef Alimardani.

Three documentaries are also included in the program: ‘Overruled’ by Farnaz Jourabchinan and Mohammad Reza Jourabchian, ‘Sons of Sinbad’ by Reza Haeri and ‘Poets of Life’ by Shirin Bargh Navard.

World’s Acclaimed Directors

This year in the Special Screenings (Masters of Cinema) section, 14 films will be screened from globally-renowned directors.

‘Voyage of Time: Life’s Journey’ is a 2016 Docudrama by the American filmmaker Terrence Malick in which the director examines the origins of the universe, the birth of stars and galaxies, the beginning of life on Earth, and the evolution of diverse species.

The drama ‘I, Daniel Blake’ is directed by the veteran English director Ken Loach, 80. It won the Palm d’Or in last year’s Cannes Film Festival and 10 more awards at other events.

‘Afterimage’ is the late Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda’s last movie. One of the great contemporary directors, Wajda died last October.

‘Salt and Fire’, a thriller by the German director Werner Herzog, ‘The Unknown Girl’, a crime, mystery by Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne and ‘Graduation’, a crime, drama by the Romanian director Cristian Mungiu are among films scheduled in the program.

The 35th edition of FIFF will be held at Charsou Cineplex in downtown Tehran.