By Marjohn Sheikhi and Niusha Rouzban, Mehr News Agency
Iran is getting ready to host the 35th edition of its most prestigious cultural event in February, this time showcasing works by women filmmakers and films on women's issues more than ever before.
35th Fajr Film Festival
(official poster)
Considered Iran's largest film festival and one of the most prestigious
cultural event in the country, Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF) is held
annually in metropolitan Tehran and simultaneously in several other provinces
across the country to celebrate creativity in cinema, promote cultural exchange,
and provide the best possible medium to showcase quality local and international
films.
FIFF was founded in 1989 and for many years to come, it hosted both national and
international sections side by side until it was decided in 2015 to organize the
two sections separately. The national section of the festival is scheduled for
31 January - 10 February where 33 films will compete for Golden Simorgh in the
main completion section. What is of special interest in this year's festival is
the stronger presence of women filmmakers and films with a female protagonist
that brings into focus critical women's issues.
One reason for this new trend may be that cineastes have become more sensitive
toward women's issues in the society and it remains to be seen if the films will
be successful in reaching their objective, which is to leave a positive impact
on various levels of society and find solutions to the current problems that
women are facing.
While Iranian filmmakers have made tremendous efforts to bring women's issues to
the center of attention in the past few years, most notably Asghar Farhadi's
'The Salesman' which deals with PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder) in female
rape victims among various other issues, or Behnam Behzadi's 'Inversion' which
gives the female protagonist a chance to assert herself against the oppressing
demands of her family, they have ultimately proved unsuccessful in showing a way
out, a solution that could change women's lives for the better, a window or at
the very least a tiny hatch to a brighter, more promising future.
Among the films selected for the completion section of Fajr Film Festival, there
are at least 11 titles that deal with women's issues.
"Vila Residents" (Vilaeiha) is the debut feature film of Iranian female director
Monir Gheidi with a focus on women and about the Imposed War of 1980-88. Women
have a central role in this film and many of the film's crew are of the opinion
that this is a feminine film.
Parinaz Izadyar in "Vila Residents" directed by
Monir Gheidi
"Rag-e Khab" directed by Hamid Nematollah narrates the story of a woman who
encounters a series of problems which affect her personal life in various ways.
Leila Hatami, best known for her role as Shirin in Farhadi's Oscar-winning "A
Seperation", plays the lead in Nematollah's feature.
"Seraph" by Aida Panahandeh is a drama about challenges, emotional needs and
human relations that have strong female characters on one side of the story. The
lead female role is played by Hadieh Tehrani who is mostly known for playing
strong and influential female characters.
Merila Zarei in "Seraph" directed by Aida Panahandeh
Panahandeh has previously shown her brilliance with 'Nahid', a chronicle of an
Iranian woman's efforts to maintain both her freedom and the custody of her
child, and staring "A Separation" actress Sareh Bayat. 'Nahid' has managed to
win a number of awards at various international film festivals including the
Bright Future Award in the Un Certain Regard of 66th Cannes International Film
Festival, Roger Ebert Award at Chicago International Film Festival, and he major
trophy of Golden SHIKA in Nara International Film Festival in Japan.
'Ferrari' directed by Alireza Davoudnejad depicts the interests and dreams of a
young teenage girl who embarks on a journey to turn her dreams into reality.
Golnar, an 18-year-old girl, leaves her town for the metropolitan Tehran to take
a picture with a Ferrari sports car.
'Sara and Aida' by Maziar Miri drags the friendship between two girls into
serious challenge and puts their relations on trial in the face of a problem.
Highly-acclaimed Iranian filmmaker, producer and screenwriter Pouran
Derakhshandeh whose previous film 'Hush! Girls Don't Scream' (2013) dealt with
such sensitive, controversial issues as pedophilia, and the prosecution of the
victim, is bringing this time another title to Fajr festival which discusses the
relationships and lives of young couples and the emotional divorce that has
become quite problematic in today's Iranian society. 'Under the Smoky Ceiling'
is an attempt to depict the life of a woman and the problems she has to deal
with.
Merila Zarei in 'Under the Smoky Ceiling' directed by
Pouran Derakhshandeh
"Behind the Wall of Silence" directed by Masoud Jafari Jouzani is a social drama
that deals with the sensitive issue of HIV in Iran. The protagonist is a young
girl who is a journalist and becomes perosnaly involved in a scope.
"No. 17, Soheila" by Mahmoud Ghafari follows a rather different narrative in
which the audience are invited to watch the life and problems of a middle-aged,
single woman. The film is an attempt to depict the issues of marrying late in
life in the Iranian society.
"Motherhood" is Roghayeh Tavakoli's debut feature that as the name suggests,
deals with women's position in society as mothers.
"Behind the Gates of Heaven" is a long animation piece directed by Ali Nouri
Oskouei that is narrated by a young girl as the protagonist.
"Behind the Gates of Heaven" directed by Ali Nouri Oskouei
"Narges Season" by Negar Azarbaijani also has a focus on women who are placed in
specific situations and will never lose hope in their efforts for settling the
various problems affecting their daily lives.
Among the above-mentioned films, there are five women directors which shows a
stronger presence of women at the festival and their subsequent greater impact
on the Iranian cinema.
The 35th edition of Fajr Film Festival will be held on 31 January - 10 February,
2017 in Tehran. The international section will be held on 21-28 April.