Curtains down on 42nd Fajr International Film Festival
War drama ‘Majnoon’ crowned best
The 42nd Fajr International Film Festival concluded with a gala closing ceremony at the Milad tower in Tehran, honoring films and artists.
The wartime drama ‘Majnoon,’ directed by Mehdi Shamohammadi and produced by Owj Arts and Media Organization, received the Crystal Simorgh for the best film. The film depicts Martyr Major General Mahdi Zeinoddin’s courageous actions during the Iran-Iraq war, particularly on Majnoon Island, fajriff.com wrote.
During the festival’s closing ceremony at Milad Tower on Sunday evening, Majid Entezami received the Crystal Simorgh for best composer for his work on ‘Majnoon.’ Behzad Khalaj and Shabnam Qorbani were awarded best supporting actor and actress for their roles in the same film.
Behrouz Afkhami secured the best director award for ‘The Morning of the Execution,’ which delves into the final moments of Tayyeb Haj Rezai and Esmaeil Rezai after the 1963 uprising. Arastou Khoshrazm won the best actor award for the film, and Maral Bani-Adam received the best actress award for her role in ‘Parvin,’ directed by Mohammadreza Varzi, depicting the life of the renowned Persian poet Parvin E’tesami.
Kouhyar Kalari was honored as the best cinematographer for ‘Summer of the Same Year’ by Mahmoud Kalari, while Kamyab Amin Ashayeri and Mehrnoush Bayani won best set design and best costume design awards for their collaboration on the film.
Hassan Hassandoust received the best editor award for ‘Parviz Khan,’ directed by Ali Saqafi, who also received an honorable mention for best screenplay.
In the New Outlook Section, ‘Parviz Khan’ was named the best first film, and Javad Ezzati received the Crystal Simorgh for the best director for his debut directorial ‘Blood Alligator.’
In the Cinema Salvation international section, the best film award went to ‘Blaga’s Lessons,’ directed by Stephan Komandarev from Bulgaria, narrating the story of a widow facing moral dilemmas after falling victim to telephone scammers.
Alejandro Rojas and Juan Sebastián Vasquez from Spain were honored with the best director award for ‘Upon Entry,’ portraying the challenges faced by Diego, a Venezuelan urbanist, and Elena, a contemporary dancer, at Newark Airport while starting a new life in the United States.
‘The Best Century of My Life’ from Italy earned director and writer Alessandro Bardani the Crystal Simorgh for the best script, and Angelo Rallis received the award for outstanding artistic contribution for ‘Mighty Afarin: In Time of Flood,’ a co-production from Greece and Bangladesh.
In this section, Mahmoud Kalari from Iran received the special jury award for his film ‘Summer of the Same Year.’