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TEHRAN – The 18th edition of the International Documentary Film Festival of Iran, known as Cin\u00e9ma V\u00e9rit\u00e9, concluded in Tehran on Sunday, celebrating the winners in both national and international competitions.<\/p>\n
\u201cGingerbread for Her Dad,\u201d directed by Alina Mustafina from Kazakhstan, won the main award in the full-length documentaries category of the international competition.<\/p>\n
The film follows three generations of women from a single family as they journey from Kazakhstan to Poland in search of the grave of the man who connects them\u2014a man who lost his life during World War II. Throughout their journey, they mend fractured relationships and confront the lingering traumas of the post-colonial Soviet era.<\/p>\n
In this section, \u201cCabin\u201d by Iranian director Yasser Khayyer received the jury’s special award. The film tells the story of Maneli, who seeks sanctuary in Aria after her father abandons her, believing his absence will be filled. However, Aria is beginning a new relationship, and Maneli\u2019s loneliness endures.<\/p>\n
\u201cRelentless Memory,\u201d a co-production between Argentina and Chile directed by Paula Rodriguez Sickert, received an honorable mention in this category.<\/p>\n
The film follows Margarita, a Mapuche academic, who discovers testimonies of Mapuche prisoners in an unknown archive in Berlin, detailing their expulsion during the military invasions that established Argentina and Chile. Moved by her discovery, Margarita embarks on a journey to retrace the deportation routes of her ancestors.<\/p>\n
In the mid-length documentary section, \u201cUnspoken\u201d by Maciej Adamek from Poland was named best film, while \u201cSol\u201d by Zahra Alboudi received an honorable mention.<\/p>\n
In the short film competition, \u201cThe Barefoot Journey\u201d by Bijoy Chowdhury from India was crowned best film, and \u201cWith Confidentiality,\u201d co-directed by Shervin Vahdat and Payam Azizi from Iran, received the special jury award. \u201cBrussels Close-Up\u201d by Ilja Sircenko from Belgium and \u201cDeep Memories\u201d by Rafael Quiroga from Mexico also received honorable mentions.<\/p>\n
In the Gaza section, \u201cPalestinian Frames\u201d by Saeed Faraji from Iran was named best film, while \u201cDeferred Reclaim\u201d by Abdallah Motan from Palestine won the special jury award. \u201cBeirut Boulevard,\u201d directed by Farah Al-Hashem from Lebanon, was also honored in this section.<\/p>\n
In the national section, \u201cBlood Father\u201d by Tofiq Heidari won the audience award and shared the best film award with \u201cElevator\u201d by Javad Razzaghizadeh.<\/p>\n
\u201cBlood Father\u201d takes a non-stereotypical approach to the issues of addiction and drugs, aiming to highlight their consequences and the resulting social aberrations. \u201cElevator\u201d tells the story of Mohammad Saberi, who, after 13 years of addiction and homelessness, has reintegrated into society and recently entered the acting industry, where he will face several challenges.<\/p>\n
The 18th edition of Cin\u00e9ma V\u00e9rit\u00e9, Iran\u2019s major international festival for documentary films, was held in Tehran from December 8 to 15.<\/p>\n
The Documentary & Experimental Film Center (DEFC) is the organizer of the event. The festival tries to express the relationship between reality and truth through documentary films.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s edition of the festival had several sections including the national competition, the international competition, the Martyr Avini Award, \u201cGaza, Palestine, Resistance,\u201d commemoration ceremonies, and other programs on the sideline.<\/p>\n
Photo: Shervin Vahdat and Payam Azizi, Iranian directors of the short documentary \u201cWith Confidentiality,\u201d hold their awards at the closing ceremony of the International Documentary Film Festival of Iran on December 15, 2024.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n SAB\/<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n