Iranian director Mokri wins Busan festival’s Vision Asia Award
Iranian filmmaker Shahram Mokri clinched the Vision Asia Award at the Busan International Film Festival for his surreal drama ‘Black Rabbit, White Rabbit,’ marking the movie’s international debut.
The prize, carrying a cash grant of $7,300 funded by India’s National Film Development Corporation, was handed out at the festival’s closing night.
Jurors praised the work for its “visual creativity” and distinctive narrative that blends mystery with a fractured sense of reality.
Co-written by Mokri and screenwriter Nasim Ahmadpour, the feature follows a woman who, after a car accident, discovers her surroundings have been altered in unsettling ways. The film was shot in Tajikistan with a cast drawn from both Iran and the Central Asian republic, including Babak Karimi and Hasti Mohammai.
Produced by Negar Eskandarfard, the picture will head next to Britain for its European premiere at the BFI London Film Festival in early October, extending its festival circuit only weeks after debuting in Busan, which ran from Sept 17 to 26.
Mokri, known for experimental narratives in Iranian cinema, said the recognition underlined how stories from the region could “resonate widely” when framed with fresh techniques. He has previously screened at Venice and other European festivals.
The Busan event, regarded as Asia’s most influential film showcase, draws filmmakers and distributors scouting new titles across the continent.