TEHRAN – Four Iranian films will be competing in the Regina International Film Festival and Awards in Canada.

“I Won’t Remain Alone”, “Mannequin” and “Fukushima Traveler”, and “The Other” will be screening in various categories of the festival, which will be held virtually in Regina, Saskatchewan, from August 10 to 14.

“I Won’t Remain Alone” directed by Yaser Talebi is about Sorayya and Seyyed Jalal, a poor, elderly couple residing in a remote village in Northern Iran. Filmed over the course of 5 years, the film paints pictures of forgiveness, love, humanity and immortality.

The film will be competing in the short documentary section of the festival. It has also received a nomination in the best short doc category of the Parnu International Documentary and Science Film Festival, which will take place in the southwestern Estonian resort city from July 12 to 25.

Directed by Mahnaz Valipur, “Mannequin” is about Hamed, whose father sees him selling books as a vendor in a street, beating him and forcing him to work in his stepmother’s wedding gowns gallery. Hamed falls in love with a mannequin there.

This film is competing in the student short film category.

Director Masumeh Nurmohammadi’s “Fukushima Traveler” will premiere in the feature documentary section. 

The film accounts the first days of 2011, which were recorded as the most devastating winter in Japan, when a magnitude 10.0 earthquake shook the eastern part of the country and caused the Pacific Ocean to tremble. 

The tsunami that struck Japan caused two explosions at the Daiichi Fukushima power plant, releasing radioactive material that polluted a large area.

“Fukushima Traveler” won the award for best sound design at the Tietê Internacional Film Awards (TIFA) in Brazil in May.

“The Other”, a co-production between Iran and India by the Samko Brothers has also been selected to be screened in the short film category.

The film tells the story of a widower and his young daughter, who struggles to fill the void of a much-beloved wife and mother, and the sudden appearance of a mysterious stranger.

Kiki Fung, Melissa Best, Michael Robinson, Mary Lou Belli, Sreeker Prasad, Hady Zaccak and Rwita Dutta are the members of the jury.

Photo: “Mannequin” by Iranian director Mahnaz Valipur.
 
MMS/YAW