TEHRAN – The 40th edition of the Fajr Film Festival, Iran’s most important film event, announced the jury for its official competition on Thursday.

Masud Jafari Jozani, director of the acclaimed drama “Frosty Roads”, is one of the jury members. 

The festival opening on Tuesday plans to screen “Frosty Roads” (1985) in its Classics Preserved, a non-competitive section dedicated to screening a number of restored movies. 

The jury also includes actor Shahab Hosseini, star of Asghar Farhadi’s Oscar-winning films “A Separation” and “The Salesman”.

Mohammad-Ali Basheh Ahangar, director of “Child of the Soil” and “The Underwater Cypress”, is another member of the jury.

Also serving on the jury are writer Mehdi Sajjadechi, cinematographer Mohammad Davudi, composer Majid Entezami and critic and producer Pejman Lashkaripur.

Twenty-two films, most made by the new generation of Iranian filmmakers, will be screened in the official competition of the festival, which will be organized in person by a new team under its new president, Masud Naqqashzadeh, who tested positive for COVID-19 last Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili called on Iranian people to attend the festival in a message published by the organizers.

“Killing the Traitor” by Masud Kimiai, “Night Watchman” by Reza Mirkarimi, “The Loser Man” by Mohammad-Hossein Mahdavian, and “The Situation of Mehdi” by Hadi Hejazifar are among the entries to the official competition of the festival.

Photo: A combination photo show portraits of the jury members of the 40th Fajr Film Festival. 

MMS/YAW