TEHRAN –Winners of different sections of the first edition of Iran’s Havva International Film Festival were announced on Friday during a special ceremony at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall.

They received their awards from the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Mohammad-Mehdi Esmaeili and his colleagues.

In the international section of the festival, “In the Arms of the Tree” by Iranian director Babak Khajepasha was named best film. 

The film is about a crisis in the relations between Kimia and Farid that disturbs the peace of their children’s lives.

“Dream Team”, co-directed by Philipp Abryutin and Maxim Zykov from Russia, won the special jury prize in this section.

The movie traces the journey of Stepan Vershinin, a sports commentator who endures the loss of his esteemed position in television. In his quest for a new job, he finds himself immersed in extraordinary competitions.

The best director award was given to Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov from Macedonia for their documentary “Honeyland”. 

The movie tells the story of a woman who harnesses the power of ancient beekeeping techniques to produce honey in the breathtaking mountains of North Macedonia. When the family next door makes an attempt to do the same, it creates tension because they completely ignore her wisdom and advice.

“After Class” by Charles Xiuzhi Dong from China and “Fatjona” by Steve Bache from Germany shared the award for best short film. 

“After Class” is about a mother, who defies the school registration system despite facing marginalization, determined to ensure her daughter's education,

“Fatjona” tells the story of a young woman, who embarks on a journey to search for her six-year-old daughter, deeply regretting the decision she made to give her up for adoption. Upon rediscovering the girl, she is overwhelmed by the heartbreaking reality that her own daughter fails to recognize her. In light of this profound revelation, she is compelled to make a life-altering choice.

In the national section of the festival, the best film award was given to “Yadoo” by Mehdi Jafari.

The film follows a teenage boy named Yadoo living with his family and people under siege in the southwestern Iranian city of Abadan in the early days of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war. The family is finally forced to migrate.

Leili Aaj’s “Colonel Sorayya” brought her best director award.

Written based on a true story, the film portrays mothers longing for their children being held captive in Iraq at Camp Ashraf, the base of the MKO, which has officially been designated as a terrorist group.

The film follows Sorayya Abdollahi, an Iranian woman who travels to Iraq to meet her son at the camp. Behind the camp’s fence, she finds many other mothers who have been unable to visit their children.

“Shahrbanu” by Maryam Bahrololumi received the best screenplay award at the festival. 

Written by Pejman Teimurtash, “Shahrbanu” is about a mother of three children who has been sentenced to life imprisonment for drug trafficking. She spends 11 years in prison before being released on a temporary basis to attend her son’s wedding where she experiences other life and family challenges.

During its first edition, Havva International Film Festival showcased a diverse collection of nearly 80 films, presented at both national and international sections, being screened across 13 provinces throughout the country. 

The main objective of the three-day event was to highlight the significance of women in society and the powerful impact that families have within the social fabric.

Photo: A scene from “In the Arms of the Tree” by Iranian director Babak Khajepasha

ABU/