TEHRAN – The Iranian films “Beyond the Wall” and “Woodgirls – A Duet for a Dream” have received nominations in three categories, including best screenplay and best documentary, at the 15th edition of the 15th Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA).

Directed and written by Vahid Jalilvand “Beyond the Wall” was nominated for best screenplay award and its star Navid Mohammadzadeh is competing for the best performance award.

The film is about a blind man whose suicide attempt is interrupted by his building’s concierge who informs him of an escaped woman’s hideout in the building. It becomes the blind man’s goal to help her.  

Having its international premiere at the Venice International Film Festival in September, the film failed to win an award.

Other nominees in the screenplay section include Makbul Mubarak for “Autobiography”, Park Chan-wook and Chung Seo-kyeong for “Decision to Leave”, Darezhan Omirbayev for “Poet” and Aktan Arym Kubat and Dalmira Tilepbergenova for “This Is What I Remember”.

A jury headed by Mohamed Hefzy from Egypt will decide the winners of best film, best director, best screenplay, best cinematography, best performance and jury grand prize.

Guneet Monga from India, Numan Acar from Turkey, Sophie Hyde from Australia and Vimukthi Jayasundara from Sri Lanka are the other members of the jury.

“Woodgirls” by Azadeh Bizargiti has been nominated for best documentary award.  

The film tells the unique story of Leila Avakh and Sediqeh Momennia, as they follow their dream of opening a carpentry workshop run by women for women.

With much love and passion, Leila and Sediqeh have chosen a profession that is considered extremely masculine in the traditional societies of West Asia. They are some of Iran’s first female carpenters. Licenses and formal training in such trades are unavailable for women.

Despite the obstacles and difficulties they face, they are determined to prove themselves. They refuse to let go of their dreams.

Armed with self-taught skills, guts and deep determination, Leila and Sediqeh bravely face the obstacles to fight for what they believe in.

Other nominees in this section are “All That Breathes” from India, the U.S. and UK, “Blue Island” from Hong Kong and Japan, “Children of the Mist” from Vietnam, “Delikado” from the Philippines, Australia, Hong Kong, U.S. and UK.

“Before, Now & Then” by Indonesian director Kamila Andini, and “Poet” by Kazakh filmmaker Darezhan Omirbayev are among the nominees for the best film award.

“Return to Seoul” by Davy Chou, “This Is What I Remember” by Aktan Arym Kubat and “When the Waves Are Gone” by Lav Diaz are also competing in this category.

The winners will be announced during a ceremony at HOTA on Australia’s Gold Coast on November 11.

Photo: “Woodgirls – A Duet for a Dream” by Azadeh Bizargiti.

MMS/YAW