TEHRAN – The Iranian drama “Scent of Wind” will be the opening film of the Busan International Film Festival, one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. 

Directed by Hadi Mohaqeq, the film will be competing in Jiseok, a competition section for established Asian filmmakers with three or more feature films, the organizers have announced. 

The two best films are presented with the Kim Jiseok Award. The award was created in commemoration of the late Kim Jiseok, a program director who devoted his life to nurturing and supporting Asian cinema.

Mohaqeq and Hossein Qurchian co-wrote the story set in a distant Iranian village where a paralyzed man collects herbal medicine in the mountains for making his living with his sick child. The electricity goes off in his house and an electrician comes to fix it. Unfortunately, the problem is bigger than what was anticipated and may take days to be resolved. When he sees the child on the sickbed, he feels committed to doing whatever he can to bring the electricity back. However, he has a tough job ahead with facing nature and some unexpected events.  

Iranian director Saeid Rustai (Saeed Roustaee) has been selected for the Sonje Award Juries. He along with Japanese director Chie Hayakawa and Korean director Gaeun Yoon will choose the winners in the Wide Angle – Korean Short Film Competition Section and the Asian Short Film Competition Section.

The festival, which will take place in the South Korean city of Busan from October 5 to 14, plans to screen Rustai’s latest film “Leila’s Brothers” in A Window on Asian Cinema, a non-competitive section dedicated to reviewing the latest films from well-established directors as well as the upcoming rookies of the industry within Asian cinema.

Movies by other Iranian filmmakers have also been selected to be screened in the different categories of the festival.

“Life & Life” by Ali Qavitan will be contending for a Kim Jiseok Award, while “No End”, a co-production from Iran, Germany and Turkey by Nader Saeivar, will be screened in New Current, a competition for up-and-coming Asian filmmakers’ first or second features.

“Jouissance” by Sadeq Es’haqi and “The Valley of the Wind” by Samir Noruznasseri have been selected to be screened in the Wide Angle - Asian Short Film Competition, and “The Football Aficionado” by Sharmin Mojtahedzadeh and Paliz Khoshdel will be showcased in the Wide Angle - Documentary Competition.   

“See You Friday, Robinson” by Mitra Farahani has been picked for the Wide Angle - Documentary Showcase. Iran has co-produced the documentary with France, the Kingdom of Eswatini and Lebanon.

“No Bears” by Jafar Panahi will be screened in Icons, a showcase of the latest films by contemporary iconic filmmakers from around the world.

Photo: “Scent of Wind” by Iranian director Hadi Mohaqeq.

MMS/YAW