TEHRAN – The Torino Underground Cinefest has picked five movies by Iranian filmmakers to screen in various sections of its 8th edition, which is currently underway in the Italian city of Turin.

Directed by Kaveh Mazahei, the acclaimed Iran-German production “Botox” has been selected to compete in the feature film category.

The film follows Akram and Azar, two sisters who lie about the disappearance of their brother by telling everyone he has fled to Germany. As time goes by, however, the “lie” turns into “reality” in Akram’s mind, so that she believes her brother will come back. 

“One Night” by Aida Alimadad, “Malakout” by Farnush Abedi and “Gabriel” by Yusef Kargar are competing in the short film section.

“One Night” is about a middle-aged woman named Iran who pursued by the memory of her late husband. Overwhelmed by the grief of his absence, she is driven to an act of fierce melancholy.

The acclaimed animated movie “Malakout” (“Divinity”) produced at the Documentary and Experimental Film Center tells the story of a pianist, who has lost one of his hands and can’t play the piano anymore. Doctors decide to transplant a dead criminal’s hand to his body. The pianist with his new hand starts killing people.

The film has been screened in numerous international events and won several awards, including the Excellence Award at the 18th Hiroshima International Animation Festival.     

It also won two honors, including the best director award for Abedi, at the Dead of Night Film Festival in Liverpool.

“Gabriel” is about a middle-aged man who lives with his son. His wife has been lost for some time. All the people are suspicious about her. One day news comes to him and he has to choose one: expediency or conscience.

“Tattoo” by Farhad Delaram has been selected to be screened in the out-of-competition section.

It revolves around a young Iranian woman who wanted to renew her driver’s license, but when the officials noticed a scar on her wrist and her tattoo, they began looking at her with suspicion. Suddenly she is trapped, forced to answer personal questions and exposed to insinuations. The camera captures the growing uneasiness with clinical precision.

The Torino Underground Cinefest comes to an end on Thursday with honoring winners.

Photo: “Malakout” by Iranian director Farnush Abedi.

MMS