TEHRAN – Four Iranian shorts are competing in the Nevada City Film Festival, which opened in the U.S. city on Friday  

The films include “The Recess” by Navid Nikkhah-Azad, “Mandatory” Javad Khorsha, “The Visit” by Azadeh Musavi, and “Bodies” by Morvarid Kashian.

“The Recess” tells the story of Sahar, a 17-year-old student who is determined to skip high school during the recess to attend the football stadium to watch the football match between Esteghlal F.C. vs. Al-Ain as part of the AFC Champions League against the national ban on women to enter football stadiums in Iran.

The film has been screened at numerous intentional events and won several awards.

It won the award for best dramatic short film at the 15th San Francisco Frozen Film Festival in July. In addition, the film’s star Mojan Kordi won the award for the best performance at the 33rd Living Skies Student Film Festival in Canada in March.

“Mandatory” is about a firing squad soldier who is forced to kill a prisoner in the firing squad. He does not know which to choose in the dilemma of ethics and duty.

Khorsha was selected as best director at the 13th Annual Iranian Film Festival – San Francisco in 2020 for this film.

“The Visit” is about Elaheh who is finally allowed to visit her husband, a political prisoner, after a delay of six months. She and her little daughter Tara have one single day to prepare for this important meeting.

“Bodies” a transgender boy who feels like a girl. He is a stage actor and has fallen in love with his director. He would like to have a sex change and becomes a girl but his conservative father does not approve of this. He is trying to persuade his father and confess his love to the director.

Photo: Mojan Kordi acts in a scene from the short drama “The Recess” directed by Navid Nikkhah-Azad.

MMS