TEHRAN – Nima Javidi’s acclaimed movie “The Warden” was selected as best film during the 21st Iran Cinema Celebration at Tehran’s Milad Tower on Friday.

Producer Majid Motallebi received his award from Cinema Organization of Iran director Hossein Entezami and producer Manuchehr Shahsavari.

The film tells the story of an Iranian prison warden who is assigned to transfer prisoners to a new building during the 1960s.

Navid Mohammadzadeh was crowned best actor for his portrayal of the warden.

In his speech, Mohammadzadeh said that watching Iranian director Feridun Goleh’s 1975 drama “Beehive” motivated him to pursue an acting career.

The film also won Hooman Behmanesh the award for best cinematographer, and Javad Motavvari received the award for best visual effects engineer for his collaboration in this project.

The Iranian House of Cinema organizes the celebration every year to commemorate Iran’s National Day of Cinema, which would fall on September 12 this year. However, the celebration was held earlier due to the mourning season of Muharram in the country.

The award for best director went to Saeid Rustai for his drama “Just 6.5” about the horrible image of narcotics.

Director and writer Mohsen Amiryusefi’s movie “Lovely Trash” on Iran’s 2009 post-election unrest, which was banned for six years, won the award for best screenplay.

Sara Bahrami was picked as best actress for playing the role of a drug addict in Behruz Shoeibi’s “Axing”.

This year’s celebration was held on the theme of the wishes the winners and presenters have. Bahrami received her award from veteran actress Fatemeh Motamed-Arya who said, “I wish that the Iranian people reach a position in which there are no sanctions and we can do our jobs without any problem. I also wish all people of the world peace. We are the world’s beloved ones who have strayed off the right path.”

The award for best supporting actor was presented to Farhad Aslani for his role in director Hooman Seyyedi’s acclaimed drama “Sheeple”.

Fereshteh Sadr-Orafai won the award for supporting actress for her role in director Narges Abyar’s political love story “When the Moon Was Full”, which also brought Iman Omidvari the award for best makeup artist.

Bahram Dehqani was named best editor for his collaboration in “Just 6.5”. 

“Dissect” by Siavash Shahabi about a police investigation into the sudden death of a schoolchild won the award for best short film.

The award for best animated film went to Bahram Azimi’s “The Sixth String”, which is based on a true story about Darvish Khan, a Persian classical musician and tar player, who was killed 90 years ago in a car accident. He is considered as the first victim of a car accident in Iran.

“It Is Winter” directed by Mehrdad Zahedian about Tehran’s Lalezar Street, which was regarded as Iran’s Broadway and cradle of modernism during the 1950s and 1960s, won the award for best feature documentary. 

As the producer of the documentary, Tehran Mayor Piruz Hanachi received the award.

Director Yasser Talebi’s “Beloved” won the award for best short documentary. The acclaimed film tells the story of an 82-year-old woman who prefers a hard, solitary herder’s existence with her cows to a more comfortable life among people.

Producer Elaheh Nobakht received the award from veteran documentarians Morteza Razzaq-Karimi and Ramin Faruqi.

The celebration was wrapped up by a tribute to the legendary vocalist Mohammadreza Shajarian who is currently battling kidney cancer.

The 22nd edition of the Iran Cinema Celebration is scheduled to be organized by the Iran Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Technics.

Photo: Producer Majid Motallebi speaks after receiving the award for best film for “The Warden” during the 21st Iran Cinema Celebration at Tehran’s Milad Tower on August 30, 2019. (Mehr/Mohammad Khodabakhsh)

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