TEHRAN – Acclaimed Iranian short drama “Adjustment” will compete in the 26th International Film Festival Zoom-Zblizenia, Poland.

In this film directed by Mehrdad Hassani, 9-year-old Shahrokh has to make a decision about whether or not to embrace their true gender identity, their true self in face of the intolerance within their family and village.

The film has been screened at several international events and won awards, including the best short fiction award at the 2022 Barcelona Human Rights Film Festival.

The 2022 Chicago International Children’s Film Festival also honored the film with the Embrace Award.

“Adjustment” also won the Grand Prix at the Busan International Short Film Festival.

The film will compete with 59 fiction films in the Zoom-Zblizenia film festival, which will take place from March 6 to 12 at the Local Community Center in Jelenia Gora.

A jury comprising screenwriter Beata Dzianowicz, journalist Daniel Antosik and director Malgorzata Imielska will select winners.

The festival is one of the largest and most important independent cinema festivals in Poland. It is organized as part of the project, Polish-Czech Close-Ups, which is co-financed by the European Union within the European Regional Development Fund and the state budget through the Euroregion Nysa.

Its aim is to present the author’s cinema, ambitious, high artistic value, moving independent and original subject matter, as well as the promotion of independent film art.

Because the main aim of the festival is the presentation of the filmmakers’ accomplishments, coupled with any new trends and ideas in the independent movie-making scene, the character of the festival makes room for a variety of forms. There are no restrictions on themes and topics.

Photo: “Adjustment” by Iranian director Mehrdad Hassani.

MMS/YAW