TEHRAN – “Parting”, a joint production of Iran and Afghanistan by Navid Mahmudi, will be the opening movie of the 21st International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), which will be held in Thiruvananthapuram, India from December 9 to 16.

“Parting” is about teenage lovers Nabi and Fereshteh who are separated by her family’s flight from Afghanistan. After years apart, Nabi decides to find Fereshteh and risk the hardship of flight and resettlement in Europe with a hope of a better life.

More Iranian movies will also go on screen in the various sections of the festival.

Kiumars Purahmad’s drama on Alzheimer’s disease “Where Are My Shoes?” will be screened in the main competition section of the festival while Reza Dormishian’s acclaimed drama “Lanturi” will be shown in the jury films section.

“Daughter” by Reza Mirkarimi, “Duet” by Navid Danesh, “Inadaptable” by Ebrahim Ebrahimian and “Inversion” by Behnam Behzadi will also go on screen.

The festival also plans to pay tribute to world-renowned Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami by screening some of his films, “The Wind Will Carry US”, “Take Me Home” and “Shirin”.

In addition, “76 Minutes and 15 Seconds with Abbas Kiarostami” a montage film made by Kiarostami’s close friend Seifollah Samadian, will be screened.

Iranian actress Baran Kowsari has been selected for the international jury of the festival, which also includes Michel Khleifi, the founder and Director of DOCKANEMA Film Festival in Mozambique Pedro Pimenta, Indian actress Seema Biswas and Kazakh filmmaker Serik Aprymov. 

ABU/YAW