Iran’s ‘Black Scarf’ on French festival silver screens as global acclaim builds
Iranian short film ‘Black Scarf,’ directed by Alireza Shahhosseini, was featured in the main competition of France’s 14th Cinema Toward Freedom festival, which ran July 19–21 in the southern city of Toulon.
The screening marks another international appearance for Shahhosseini’s work, which has drawn increasing attention across Europe for its psychological depth and sharp narrative, according to ILNA.
The film had earlier received the Special Jury Prize at Spain’s DiversidArte Social Inclusion Festival, where judges called it “deeply moving” and “remarkably striking.”
Produced by Shahhosseini Film, an international production company, Black Scarf delivers a tense, metaphor-laden story centered around a chilling line: “Do you know anything about spiders? They eat their mates.” The phrase, drawn from the official synopsis, underscores the film’s dark, emotional tone. The cast includes Pasha Rostami, Tara Majidzadeh, Lotfollah Seifi, Mahna Seyyedi, the late Hatem Mashmouli, Javad Falahatkar, Hasti Gharib, Iraj Abedi, Naser Marefat, Ebrahim Naji, and Arshia Cheraghi.
In Spain, Shahhosseini donated his €500 prize to families affected by this year’s 12-day war between Iran and Israel. The gesture, described by the filmmaker as a tribute to “martyrs and war veterans,” has further elevated the film’s profile and message.