TEHRAN – “Laleh” by Los Angeles-based Iranian filmmaker Asadollah Niknejad won the FICTS award at the 40th edition of Milano International FICTS Fest, an event for sports movies and TV, which was held in Milan, Italy from November 7 to 11. 

The film tells the true story of the first female Iranian race car driver, Laleh Seddiq, who defied gender norms and societal expectations to pursue her dream of racing cars. 

Set in post-revolution Iran, "Laleh" follows the protagonist's journey as she faces opposition from her family, society, and even the authorities, who view racing as a male-dominated sport. Despite these challenges, Laleh remains determined to achieve her goals, pushing boundaries and breaking barriers along the way.

The Federation Internationale Cinema Television Sportifs (FICTS) is the organizer of the event, which was the final phase of the World FICTS Challenge that runs in 20 countries around the world including Iran.
 
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