TEHRAN – Asghar Farhadi’s Oscar-winning drama “The Salesman” has been named best film at the 17th Hafez Awards, Iran’s first and only private awards in the film industry and TV productions.

The Hafez Awards were presented at the Grand Hall of the Interior Ministry in Tehran on Saturday night as all winners commemorated Ali Moallem, the founder of the awards who died of a heart attack in March.

Moallem’s colleagues in his Persian cinematic monthly Donya-ye Tasvir, which is the organizer of the Hafez Awards, and his family launched a new prize in memory of Moallem this year.

This award is presented to a person representing an outstanding national achievement.

The first one went to Asghar Farhadi who could not attend the awards ceremony. However, he talked to the audience through a video at the ceremony.

Farhadi remembered Moallem and thanked his family for their efforts to keep the awards alive after the death of Moallem in the video.

The award for best director was presented to Mohammad-Hossein Mahdavian for his acclaimed political drama “The Midday Event”.

Three awards were presented in the best actor category. Javad Ezzati for “The Midday Event”, Shahab Hosseini for “The Salesman”, and Navid Mohammadzadeh for “Lanturi” received the awards. 

In addition, Fatemeh Motamed-Arya for her role in “Abajan” and Elnaz Shakerdoost for her role in “Mobarak” won the awards for best actress.

Director/actor Reza Attaran won the award for best screenwriter for a script for his comedy film “Dracula”. Another award in this category went to director/writer Narges Abyar for her drama “Breath”.

Mohammad-Ali Keshavarz, the 87-year-old star of many memorable movies such as director Ali Hatami’s “Mother”, received a lifetime achievement award from his lifelong friend and colleague Jamshid Mashayekhi.

Actor Mohammadreza Golzar received the special jury award for his role in Iranian director Qorban Mohammadpur’s melodrama “Salam Mumbai”, which was shot in India in 2015.

“The Invincible Diplomacy of Mr. Naderi”, a film directed by Behtash Sanaei about a man named Naderi who wants to act a mediator between Iran and the United States, was selected as best documentary. 

Director Reza Dormishian won the Abbas Kiarostami Award, which was launched by the organizers last year in honor of the world renowned filmmaker. The award is presented to an innovative filmmaker.

In the TV production category, “The Licentiates” was picked as best series and co-writers Sorush Sehat and Iman Safai also received the best screenwriter award for the serial.

The best host award went to Ehsan Alikhani for his talk show “Mahe Asal”, which is being broadcast every year during the holy month of Ramadan.

He dedicated his award to the family of Mohsen Hojaji, an Iranian soldier who was killed by Daesh forces in Syria last week.

Photo: Actor Mohammad-Ali Keshavarz (C) speaks after being honored for his lifetime achievements during the 17th Hafez Awards at the Grand Hall of the Interior Ministry in Tehran on August 12, 2017. Host Mehran Modiri (R) and actor Jamshid Mashayekhi (L) are also seen in the photo. (Honaronline)

MMS