TEHRAN – Iranian actress Fatemeh Motamed-Arya has been selected for a jury of the 75th Venice International Film Festival running from August 29 to September 8, the organizers have announced.

Motamed-Arya will judge the films competing in the Horizons section together with American director Michael Almereyda, French critic Frédéric Bonnaud, Egyptian screenwriter Mohamed Hefzy, Canadian director Alison McLean and Italian director Andrea Pallaoro.

Greek director Athina Tsangari will preside over the jury.

Motamed-Arya is famous for her roles in such acclaimed movies as “The Blue-Veiled” and “Gilaneh”.

In addition, the U.S.-based Iranian filmmaker Ramin Bahrani will chair the Luigi De Laurentiis Venice Award, a section which recognizes the best first work.

Italian actress Carolina Crescentini, Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania, Japanese curator Hayashi Kanako and Argentinian director Gastòn Solnicki will accompany Bahrani in this section.

In a statement published on Wednesday, the organizers of the Fajr International Film Festival, Iran’s most important film event, congratulated Motamed-Arya and Bahrani on their appointments.

“Your selection as jury members of the Venice film festival is a great honor for the family of Iranian cinema,” the statements reads.

UK-based Iranian filmmaker Ebrahim Golestan’s “The Brick and the Mirror” (1964) has been selected to go on screen in the Venezia Classici, a section dedicated to restored classics from world cinema.

Mexican director Guillermo del Toro will be the president of the international jury, which will assign the Golden Lion for best film and other official awards.

Photo: Actress Fatemeh Motamed-Arya in an undated photo 

RM/MMS/YAW