TEHRAN – Seven movies by female Iranian directors will be reviewed in a special program during the Brussels Short Film Festival, which will take place from April 26 to May 6 in the Belgian capital. 

“This program aims to show different points of view of Iranian women on issues that concern them directly,” the organizers have said in their statement. 

“Through animation and fiction, these films look at the challenges of the contemporary period and offer a glimpse into the place of women in Iranian society and beyond,” they added.

The screening will be followed by a discussion moderated by Fery Malek-Madani, the founder and administrator of Art Cantara in Brussels, and Farnush Samadi, an Iranian director who is a member of the festival’s international jury.

Samadi’s short drama “Gaze” is a highlight of the program. It is about a woman who witnesses something happening on the bus on her way back from work, but she has to decide whether to reveal it or not.

The program also features “Horn” by Ghasideh Golmakani. It follows a woman from Tehran who urgently needs to find a parking space for her car. This results in disturbing the concentration of the men on the street.

The winner of the Golden Cyrus Cylinder for best short at the 7th Iranian Film Festival in Zurich, “The Visit” will also be screened.

Directed by Azadeh Musavi, the movie is about Elaheh who is finally allowed to visit her husband, a political prisoner, after a delay of six months. She and her little daughter Tara have one single day to prepare for this important meeting.

Directed by Sonia K. Haddad, “Exam”, winner of the grand prize of the jury at the 2021 Dieciminuti Film Festival in Italy, has also been selected for the program.

The drama tells the story of a teenage girl who gets involved in the process of delivering a pack of cocaine to a client, and gets stuck in a weird cycle of occurrences.

The program will also screen “Leftover” by Yasaman Hassani, “Hanged” by Roqieh Tavakkoli and “The Zoo” by Nafiseh Zare’.

Photo: A scene from “Exam” by Sonia Haddad.

MMS/YAW