TEHRAN -- Mohammad-Hossein Mahdavian’s new film “Walnut Tree”, on the profound tragedy of Iraq’s chemical attack on the Iranian town of Sardasht in 1987, will go on screen in Sanandaj, Kordestan Province today.

“Walnut Tree”, the child labor movie “Sun Children” along with “Yalda: A Night for Forgiveness” and “Careless Crime” are among the movies competing to represent Iran during the 93rd Academy Awards in the best foreign-language film category.

The film will have four screening sessions in the Bahman Cinema for one week, said Heidar Moradi, the director of the Bahman-Sabz Institute, an affiliate with the Art Bureau.

He invited people to watch the film and asked the moviegoers to observe and respect health protocols and social distancing.

The film was warmly received by people in the Iranian Kurdish-speaking regions during its several screenings at the 38th Fajr Film Festival in February.

Starring world-renowned actor Payman Maadi, “Walnut Tree” was made based on the true story of the profound tragedy of Iraq’s chemical attack on the Iranian town of Sardasht in 1987.

It tells the story of Qader Mulanpur, a man who was away when his family was affected by the chemical attack in a village near Sardasht. His effort to save his pregnant wife and their three children are in vain and they die one by one from the fatal wounds sustained as a result of the chemical attack.    

Maadi, the star of the Oscar-winning movie “A Separation”, portrays Qader Mulanpur in the film, which brought the Crystal Simorgh for best actor at the 38th edition of the Fajr Film Festival in Tehran.

The festival also picked Mohammad-Hossein Mahdavian as the best director for the movie.

In 1987 Iraq bombarded the Iranian town of Sardasht and the surrounding region with chemical weapons, killing over 1000 and injuring over 8000 civilians, many of whom were permanently disabled.

Photo: A scene from “Walnut Tree” by director Mohammad-Hossein Mahdavian.

RM/YAW