TEHRAN – Shahram Mokri, the director of the acclaimed Iranian drama “Careless Crime”, has been selected as a member of the official competition jury at the 57th Chicago International Film Festival.

His latest film “Careless Crime” won the Premio Bisato d’Oro for Best Original Screenplay at the Venice Film Festival in 2020.

He made his debut with the feature film “Ashkan, the Charmed Ring and Other Stores”, which had its international premiere at the Busan Film Festival in 2008.

His second film “Fish and Cat” won the Orizzonti Special Prize for Innovative Content at the Venice Film Festival in 2013 and the Berlin Film Festival premiered his 2018 feature “Invasion”.

The jury also features Italian director Gianfranco Rosi, Canadian director Patricia Rozema and Mexican cinematographer Hugo Villa Smythe.

Thirteen films are competing in the official section of the festival, which opened on Wednesday and will be running until October 21.

Among the films is “Petite Maman” by Céline Sciamma from France.

In this delicate, imaginative tale, precocious and bright eight-year-old Nelly travels with her parents to her mother’s childhood home following the death of her grandmother. As her parents spend their days cleaning out the house, Nelly wanders in the surrounding woods searching for the fort her mother built as a child. To her surprise, she encounters a girl her own age, who is building a fort, and the two become fast friends. 

Spanish director Iciar Bollain’s “Maixabel” is another highlight of the official competition lineup. 

It is the inspiring true story of a politician’s widow who, in the face of unspeakable violence, takes a brave step toward forgiveness and healing. Eleven years after Maixabel Lasa’s husband was killed by the Basque terrorist group ETA, she receives a shocking request: one of the men responsible for his death wants to meet with Maixabel in the prison where he is serving his sentence.

“The Worst Person in the World” by Norwegian director Joachim Trier and “107 Mothers” by Slovakian director Peter Kerekes are other major films of the festival.

Photo: Iranian director Shahram Mokri attends the 70th Venice Film Festival in 2013. (AFP)

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