TEHRAN, Oct. 29 (Mehr News Agency) – Iranian director Rafi Pitz won the Silver Spike of the International Week of Cinema of Valladolid (Seminci) for his film "It Is Winter" on Saturday. The film also received the Best Director of Photography Award at the event held from Oct. 22 to 28 in Spain.

"It Is Winter" is based on Iranian author Mahmud Dowlatabadi's story "Journey" and its soundtrack features the song "Winter" sung by Iranian traditional singer Mohammadreza Shajarian.

The film's title was derived from a poem by Mehdi Akhavan Salis. The movie is set in the pre-Islamic Revolution era and tells the story of Mokhtar, a young blacksmith, whose workshop is closed and who must then reluctantly move to find a job and leave behind his wife and daughter. Months pass and his family hear no word from him.

The movie stars Mitra Hajjar as a professional actress while other cast members, Ali Niksolat, Hashem Abadi, Zahra Ja'fari, and Nasser Maddahi, are amateurs.

Seminci hosted entries from the U.S., France, Belgium, Argentina, Germany, Algeria, Australia, the Philippines, and the Netherlands.