TEHRAN – The drama “No Prior Appointment” about autism has been selected as the film of the year by the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO.

This film has been chosen for its special regard for autism, the commission announced on Monday.

The acclaimed drama directed by Behruz Shoeibi is scheduled to be reviewed in a meeting at the Kushk Hall of the Iranian Art Museum Garden in Tehran on Thursday.

Shoeibi and producer Mahmud Babai will receive plaques of honor from the commission at the meeting, which will be attended by experts on cinema and autism.

The film follows Yasmin, a woman who returns to her homeland Iran after years of living in exile in Germany due to her father's death. 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.

“No Prior Appointment” had its Iranian premiere at the 40th Fajr Film festival in Tehran in February and won the Golden Simorgh for best film from the national point of view.

The film also received over ten prizes at the National Will Manifestation Awards, a supplement to the Fajr Film Festival and the awards are presented to those films that promote issues being pursued by some public organizations and institutes. Juries from the organizations select winners from the films screened at the Fajr Film Festival every year.

The Astan Qods Razavi, the organizational custodian of the holy shrine of Imam Reza (AS), Municipality of Mashhad, were among the centers honoring the film.

Scenes of the drama were shot on location in Mashhad, the northeastern Iranian city that is home to the shrine of Imam Reza (AS).

It also received prizes from the Vice Presidency for Women’s and Family Affairs and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.

Photo: Saber Abar acts in a scene from “No Prior Appointment”.

MMS/YAW