TEHRAN- The wartime drama "Majnoon," which centers on Martyr Major General Mahdi Zeinoddin, has been awarded the Crystal Simorgh for best film at the 42nd Fajr International Film Festival.

Directed by Mehdi Shamohammadi and produced by Owj Arts and Media Organization, the film centers on the courageous actions of Mehdi Zeinoddin, one of the notable martyrs of Iran who rose to leadership at a young age during the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1989), particularly on Majnoon Island during the Khaybar operation.

The film also brought Maestro Majid Entezami the Crystal Simorgh for best composer during the closing ceremony of the festival held at Milad Tower on Sunday evening. 

Additionally, Behzad Khalaj and Shabnam Qorbani won best supporting actor and actress awards for their roles in "Majnoon".

Behrouz Afkhami was awarded best director for his work on "The Morning of The Execution", which explores the final moments of Tayyeb Haj Rezai and Esmaeil Rezai after the 1963 uprising.

Arastou Khoshrazm also won the best actor award for the film.

The best actress award went to Maral Bani-Adam for her role in “Parvin”. 

Directed by Mohammadreza Varzi, the film is about the life story of Parvin Etesami (1907-1940), one of the most prominent Persian poets of the 20th century. 

Kouhyar Kalari was honored with the best cinematographer award for "Summer of the Same Year" by Mahmoud Kalari.

Kamyab Amin Ashayeri and Mehrnoush Bayani received best set design and best costume design awards for their collaboration on the film.

Hassan Hassandoust was recognized as the best editor for "Parviz Khan" directed by Ali Saqafi, who also received an honorable mention for best screenplay.

Morteza Kohzadi was named best makeup artist for "Ahmad", directed by Amir Abbas Rabiei, and Mohammad Baradaran won the best visual effects award for his work on the same film.

In the New Outlook Section of the festival, “Parviz Khan” was named best first film, while Javad Ezzati received the Crystal Simorgh for the best director for his debut directorial “Blood Alligator”. 

In the Cinema Salvation, the international section of the festival, Crystal Simorgh for the best film was awarded to “Blaga’s Lessons”, directed by Stephan Komandarev from Bulgaria. 

The film recounts the story of Blaga, a seventy-year-old recently widowed former teacher with strong morals. When telephone scammers deceive her out of money she had saved for her husband’s grave, her moral compass gradually begins to falter.

Alejandro Rojas and Juan Sebastián Vasquez from Spain were honored with the best director award for their film “Upon Entry.”

The movie depicts the challenges faced by Diego, a Venezuelan urbanist, and Elena, a contemporary dancer from Barcelona, as they encounter difficulties at Newark Airport while embarking on a new life in the United States.

"The Best Century of My Life" from Italy earned director and writer Alessandro Bardani the Crystal Simorgh for the best script, while the award for outstanding artistic contribution was presented to Angelo Rallis for "Mighty Afarin: In Time of Flood," a co-production from Greece and Bangladesh.

In this segment, Mahmoud Kalari from Iran received the special jury award for his film "Summer of the Same Year."

Photo: Left to right, up: Behrouz Afkhami, Arastou Khoshrazm, Javad Ezzati, Maral Bani-Adam, Behzad Khalaj, Shabnam Qorbani

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