TEHRAN – The 43rd Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF) is underway in Shiraz, Fars Province, featuring two competitive sections highlighting innovative cinema from around the world.

According to the festival website, ten feature films are competing in the Future Frame section, while eight titles are being screened in the Broken Olive Branch section.

Future Frame, dedicated to supporting emerging voices, presents first and second feature films that bring fresh perspectives and inventive storytelling to the screen.

This year’s lineup includes: “Beyond the Rails” directed by Cenk İzgören from Turkey, “Round 13” by Mohamed Ali Nahdi from Tunisia, “Water Lilies” by Chanho Lee from South Korea, “The Song Sustxotin” by Khusnora Rozmatova from Uzbekistan, “I Will Come” by Bulat Sabitov from Russia, “Riverstone” by Lalith Rathnayake from Sri Lanka, “Wind, Talk to Me” by Stefan Djordjevic from Serbia, Slovenia, and Croatia, “Two Faces of Autumn” by Ronak Taher from Iran, “Anywhere Anytime” by Milad Tangshir from Italy, and “Fish on the Hook” by Muhiddin Muzaffar from Iran and Tajikistan.

“Beyond the Rails” is about Başak, a middle-aged, single, successful but obsessive woman. She could not overcome the cancer she had been battling for years and decided to kill herself. She waits for the train that will take her to her death between the rails.

“Round 13” depicts Kamel, a former boxing champion, happily married to Samia and deeply devoted to their only son, Sabri. Their lives are upended when Sabri is diagnosed with a malignant tumor.

In “Water Lilies,” Hyo-won, who dreams of becoming an actress, runs away from her country home with Eun-seo. Hyo-won starts taking acting lessons from leading actor Su-yeon to become a member of the theater company. Eun-seo starts to work at a shabby restaurant when Hyo-won's lesson fee is urgent.

The story of “The Song Sustxotin” takes place in an isolated Uzbek village, where the land is dry and so are the voices of those afraid to speak. Ahbor, a former official, faces a brutal truth that the village would rather forget: the honor of a young girl, who only recently turned 16, was abused. But instead of restoring justice, she is isolated from society, and the one who tried to stand up for her is ruthlessly imprisoned.

“I Will Come” deals with the sixteen-year-old Timofey, who foolishly ended up in a juvenile detention center, but escapes during an off-site concert to find his gravely ill grandmother—the only family he has—who hasn't responded to his letters for two months. Following him is an eight-year-old street kid, Malek, who uncontrollably creates only difficulties along the way. The journey home in search of Timofey’s grandmother turns into a trial for both boys, helping them understand the true meaning of friendship, honesty, and justice.

“Riverstone” follows three Sri Lankan police officers who escort a prisoner through mountainous terrain. Their personal struggles emerge as they confront moral dilemmas, power dynamics, and ethnic tensions during their journey.

In “Wind, Talk to Me,” Stefan, after hitting a dog with his car, decides to bring it with him to the hometown lake, where he is headed in order to complete the film about his mother, who has recently passed away.

“Two Faces of Autumn” shows Mahan's unconventional lifestyle, the concerns of Ava's paternal grandmother, along with untold secrets from Saman and Arash's past that gradually come to light and lead to a series of unforeseen events.

“Anywhere Anytime” is the story of a young man living in the shadows of an Italian metropolis who finds work as a delivery rider. The theft of his bicycle triggers a chain of life-changing events.

“Fish on the Hook” is about Daler, a ten-year-old boarding school student, who sets out on a journey with Samad, a gambler, to find his mother, Khursheda. Along the way, they face various challenges that help Daler mature and understand the importance of choice. Upon meeting his mother, the boy must make a fateful decision that could change his life forever.

Broken Olive Branch section

The Broken Olive Branch section celebrates films that explore resilience, resistance, and the human pursuit of peace. This year’s selections are: “Bassima’s Womb” by Babek Aliassa from Canada, “Valley of Exile” by Anna Fahr from Canada and Lebanon, “Angels Don’t Die” by Mohammad Reza Abolhasani from Iran, and “Raseef Beirut” by Farah Alhashim from Lebanon and Palestine.

Four films in this section are joint productions of several countries: “From Ground Zero” by Rashid Masharawi (Palestine/France/Qatar/UAE/Switzerland/Denmark), “Palestine 36” by Annemarie Jacir (Palestine/UK/France/Denmark/Norway/Qatar/Saudi Arabia/Jordan), “All That’s Left of You” by Cherien Dabis (Germany/Cyprus/Palestine/Jordan/Greece/Qatar/Saudi Arabia), and “A State of Passion” by Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi (Lebanon/Palestine/Jordan/UK/Kuwait).

“Bassima’s Womb” depicts a young, illegal Syrian woman who agrees to become a surrogate mother in exchange for a false passport that will bring her deported husband back to Canada. However, she finds out that she is already pregnant and must give up her own child.

In “Valley of Exile,” two sisters arrive in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley at the onset of the Syrian war, embarking on a journey into exile that tests their loyalty to their country, their family, and each other.

“Angels Don’t Die” depicts the daily life and fate of the people of Gaza from the beginning of the Israeli ground operation to the full experience of displacement.

“Raseef Beirut” takes place amid the genocide in Gaza. In a letter to her departed friend, Issam Abdullah, Farah mourns the pain of Beirut and Jerusalem in his absence and the sweet reality of Palestine's liberation.

“From Ground Zero” is a collection of 22 short films made in Gaza. Initiated by Palestinian director Rashid Masharawi, the project was born to give a voice to 22 Gazan filmmakers to tell the untold stories of the current war on film.

The story of “Palestine 36” happens in 1936. As Palestinian villages revolt against British colonial rule, Yusuf navigates between Jerusalem and his rural home, amidst escalating unrest and a pivotal moment for the British Empire.

In “All That’s Left of You,” after a Palestinian teen gets swept up into a West Bank protest, his mother recounts the family story of hope, courage, and relentless struggle that led to this fateful moment.

“A State of Passion” centers around a war surgeon who emerges from Gaza calling for justice and accountability after bearing witness to the unprecedented horrors of an ongoing genocide.

The Future Frame and the Broken Olive Branch sections offer audiences a unique window into contemporary cinema, from new voices shaping the future of filmmaking to films that reflect the courage and resilience of humanity.

The 43rd Fajr International Film Festival continues in Shiraz until December 3.

SS/SAB