TEHRAN – The Film Museum of Iran plans to review Iranian children’s films produced over the past four decades.

Over 20 films will be screened at the Ferdows Hall of the museum in a program beginning on October 23.

Starring Akbar Abdi and Azita Hajian, “Thief of Dolls” is one of the films selected for the program.  

Directed by Mohammadreza Honarmand, the film is about Leila and Bahram’s mother who wants to get a loan to buy a house for her children to live in. But the villain, an old lady, sends her son Ganjo to steal the money. The children decide to sell their dolls to gather the money for buying a house again but Ganjo this time steals the dolls too. They go after Ganjo chasing him to his house but he traps them. The dolls hurry to save the children and the police are coming too.

Fereidun Hassanzadeh’s acclaimed drama “When Everybody Was Asleep” will also be screened.

It tells the story of Bibi, a lovable elderly midwife in a small village. When Bibi married, her husband promised to take her on a pilgrimage to Mecca, and, although he never forgot his promise, he passed away before he could keep it. After years of waiting, Bibi finally has the chance to make the pilgrimage, but her advanced age makes the journey more difficult than it ever was before.

The film won the Crystal Simorgh for best spiritual film at the 2006 Fajr film festival.

“The Son of Maryam” is another outstanding drama selected for the program.

Directed by Hamid Jebelli, the film follows Rahman, a milk delivery boy in a small village in Iran and the village’s mosque crier. 

He befriends a priest who lives in a church on the outskirts of town. When the priest is seriously injured in an accident, Rahman cares for him and goes into the city to find the priest’s brother. While in the city he observes a Christian service for the first time and learns of the similarities between Christianity and Islam. Upon his return to the village, Rahman discovers that the priest has died and the village mourners begin their pilgrimage for the Ashura rituals.

“The Son of Maryam” was nominated for the grand prix at the 1999 Tokyo International Film Festival, however, it failed to win the honor.

“Golnar” by Kambozia Partovi, “Aunt Frog” by Afshin Hashemi, “Once Upon a Time” by Iraj Tahmasb and “Patal and Small Wishes” by Masud Keramati are also among the films.

The program will be held until November 16.

Photo: A combination photo shows a logo for the Film Museum of Iran and posters for the children’s films chosen to be reviewed at the center.
 
MMS/YAW