TEHRAN – War drama “The Situation of Mehdi” added one more honor to the chain of its successes in Iranian events by winning best film prize at the 11th edition of the Qoqnus Screen Awards on Saturday. 

The awards ceremony, held online, was streamed live on Ofoq, IRIB’s channel for documentary cinema.

The film portrays the part of the life story of Mehdi Bakeri, the chief of IRGC 31st Shura Division that carried out several major operations during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war.

“Unconventional consequences result from wars; for instance, the greatest novels and literary works have usually been created in the aftermath of war,” director Hadi Hejazifar said after accepting the award.

“You cannot find any better examples of heroes than those born from the heart of war,” he noted. 

Hejazifar, who also stars as Mehdi Bakeri, called “The Situation of Mehdi” a film for all Iranians and added, “We tried to make a film that can communicate to everybody with every attitude; it was very difficult and complicated, but we did it in the simplest form.”

The Qoqnus Screen Awards are presented by the Art Bureau of the Islamic Ideology Dissemination Organization to revolutionary films and cineastes every year.

“No Prior Appointment” directed by Behruz Shoeibi was honored runner-up this year.

The film follows Yasmin, a woman who returns to her homeland Iran after years of living in exile in Germany due to the death of her father. Her six-year-old autistic son makes her visit to Iran more difficult, however, in her short stay in Iran, she achieves a new understanding of humanity and death. 

“Henas”, a drama director Hossein Darabi about the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Dariush Rezainejad, took third place in the Qoqnus Screen Awards.

All the movies had their premieres during the 40th Fajr Film Festival, which honored “The Situation of Mehdi” as best film. The film brought Hejazifar the award for best directorial debut. 

“No Prior Appointment” received the Golden Simorgh for best film from the national point of view at the festival.

“The Situation of Mehdi” and “No Prior Appointment” each won over ten prizes at the National Will Manifestation Awards, which is a supplement to the Fajr Film Festival. The awards are presented to those films that promote issues being pursued by some public organizations and institutes.

Photo: Hadi Hejazifar acts in a scene of his directorial debut “The Situation of Mehdi”.

MMS/YAW