Armenia’s Apricot festival appoints Hadi Afarideh as festival judge
Iranian documentary filmmaker Hadi Afarideh has been named to the jury of the 11th Apricot Tree International Documentary Film Festival, set to run from August 30 to September 6 in Debed, Lori Province, Armenia.
The appointment brings a respected voice to a festival renowned across the Caucasus region, ILNA wrote.
Afraid of pomp and red-carpet glamour, the Apricot Tree Festival thrives on its rural, intimate vibe. Nestled in the village of Debed, it pairs screenings with hands-on workshops and daily excursions, drawing filmmakers keen to exchange ideas—not spin publicity—on their craft.
Afarideh joins jurors from France and Germany in assessing 20 short and feature-length documentaries drawn from an international selection. Many of the films have already earned recognition at major festivals such as Berlin.
From Iran, Mahdi Bagheri’s documentary ‘Old Boy’ will be shown in a special section, alongside the competition films. Screenings will be held outdoors in the open-air cinema of Debed village and inside the local library. Cinema workshops run alongside.
Afarideh is known for directing documentaries such as ‘Water Lorry,’ ‘Hollein in Iran,’ and ‘Chenarestan’.