TEHRAN – “Monte” by the U.S.-based Iranian filmmaker Amir Naderi has won the best film award at the Iranian Film Festival in Prague, Czech.

Over 30 Iranian films competed in various sections of the festival as winners were announced on Sunday evening, Iranian Short Film Association (ISFA) announced on Tuesday.

The festival mostly focuses on Iranian independent cinema.

Starring Andrea Sartoretti and Claudia Potenza, “Monte” was filmed in Italy in the mountainous regions of Alto Adige and Friuli.

The film tells the story of a man who makes every attempt to bring the sunlight into his village, where his family is barely able to survive because of the prevailing darkness.

“Marzieh” by Dornaz Hajiha was picked as the best short film. It tells the story of a couple whose life changes drastically after they return home from a funeral for a relative.

The award for best documentary was given to “The Invincible Diplomacy of Mr. Naderi”. Co-directed by Maryam Moqaddam and Behtash Sanaeiha, the film is about a man named Naderi who wants to act as a mediator between Iran and the United States.

This year, the festival organized several discussion panels attended by a number of Iranian filmmakers.

“The Night It Rained” by Kamran Shirdel and “A Simple Event” by Sohrab Shahid-Saless, two documentaries that highlight the significant role of the two filmmakers in independent Iranian cinema, were screened and discussed at the program.

The festival opened in the two Czech cities of Prague and Brno on January 9 and will end today. It will then continue in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava from January 18 to 20.

The event has been organized by the Europe Media Nest, a Prague-based private company that supports media and film projects.

Photo: A scene from Amir Naderi’s “Monte”

RM/MMS/YAW