Iranian short ‘Oscar’ takes top prize at Jakarta’s Madani festival
Iranian director Ali Asghari seized the best short-film award at the 8th Madani International Film Festival in Jakarta after his drama ‘Oscar’ outperformed a crowded field of independent entries from across Asia.
The Jakarta-based event, one of Southeast Asia’s more established showcases for socially minded independent cinema, drew films with strong human-centered themes from several continents, Mehr News Agency reported.
The festival aims to foster “cultural dialogue” and keep a lifeline open for emerging filmmakers who struggle to find screening platforms.
Asghari wrote and directed ‘Oscar,’ produced by Mehdi Ghaemmagham. The film tracks a character who insists, with a mix of desperation and bravado, “I must act in this film because it will save my life.”
The cast includes Amir Karbalaeizadeh, Parisa Alizadeh, Saba Khorasani, Reza Sakhaeifard, Neda Hosseini, Mohammad Nouhian, Amirhossein Ghelich and Hossein Abbaspour.