TEHRAN – A total of 16 films will be contending for a Crystal Simorgh as the organizers of the 39th Fajr Film Festival announced the official lineup on Tuesday.

“Ablaq” by Narges Abyar, “Bihamechiz” by Mohsen Qarai, “The Sniper” by Ali Ghaffari, “Ti Ti” by Aida Panahandeh and “180º Rule” by Farnush Samadi are among the films.

“180º Rule” tells the story of Sara, a school teacher whom her students love and who is married to Hamed. As her family gets ready to attend a wedding in northern Iran, an unforeseen obligation falls on Hamed and derails their plans. When Sara’s husband suddenly forbids her to attend the event without him, she makes a decision that sets her on the painful path of atonement.

The real-life drama “The Sniper” portrays Abdorrasul Zarrin who was one of the most lethal snipers in the Iranian forces during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.

“Romanticism of Emad and Tuba” by Kaveh Sabbaghzadeh, “Once Upon a Time, Abadan” by Hamidreza Azarang, “Bright” by Ruhollah Hejazi, “Zalava” by Arsalan Amiri, “Setareh Bazi” by Hatef Alimardani and “Shishlik” by Mohammad-Hossein Mahdavian are also included. 

The lineup also includes “Gijgah” by Adel Tabrizi, “Mama” by Arash Anisi, “Expediency” by Hossein Darabi, “Mansur” by Siavash Sarmadi and “Yadu” by Mehdi Jafari.

The Fajr Film Festival, which is Iran’s major film event, will be organized on its regular date from January 31 to February 10, 2021.

Among the members of the jury of the official competition are Nima Javidi, director of the acclaimed drama “The Warden”, and Sareh Bayat, star of the Asghar Farhadi’s Oscar-winning drama “A Separation”.

On the jury also is Bahram Tavakkoli, director of the acclaimed war drama “The Lost Strait”, which was highly acclaimed at the Fajr festival in 2018, earning awards in six categories including best film and best director. He is also the director of “Gholamreza Takhti”, a biopic about legendary Iranian wrestler Gholamreza Takhti.

Mostafa Kiai, director of the comedy film “Motreb”, which has become Iran’s box office hit of the year by grossing 380 billion rials (about $9 million) in 2020, has also been selected for the jury.

The jury is also composed of cinematography director Morteza Pursamadi, producer Jamal Sadatian and cultural manager Mohammad Ehsani. 

In addition, the jury members of the short films and documentaries are Saeid Puresmaeili, Amir Tudehrusta, Mohammad-Ali Farsi, Mohammad Kart and Sam Kalantari. 

This year, in addition, seven productions from the Owj Arts and Media Organization, a major institution that produces revolutionary works in art and cinema, will be screened at the festival. 

They include the spy movie “The Government Expediency” by Hossein Darabi, “Karo” by Ahmad Moradpur and “Mansur” by Siavash Sarmadi.

Photo: “The Sniper” by Ali Ghaffari.
 
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