TEHRAN – The acclaimed animation short “The Fourth Wall” was crowned best film at the 4th Iran Fest in Italy, the organizers announced on Tuesday.

The festival, which took place in Forli from December 15 to 17, was organized by the SediciCorto International Film Festival.

“The Fourth Wall” by Mahbubeh Kalai shows a stuttering boy who transforms an Iranian kitchen into a fantastic cosmos. The father’s body becomes a refrigerator, the mother’s belly a washing machine whose spin cycle gives birth to a screaming baby. Even birds on tiles and detergents have a surprising life of their own. 

This exuberant animation, dotted with real-life elements – fried eggs, broken plates, pieces of cheese – develops a subtle wit, ironizing ingrained family patterns.

“Extra Sauce”, a short film co-produced by Iran and Germany, and “Emergency” won honorable mentions.

Directed by Alireza Qasemi, “Extra Sauce” is about Hans, a mediocre, heartbroken actor, who is greeted by an Angel of Death after attempting suicide an hour before his play’s premiere. A sarcastic conversation begins as Hans tries to convince the angel that he should be brought back to the world of the living while the angel enjoys delicious cheeseburgers and lemonade, and gives the actor relationship advice.

“Emergency” by Maryam Esmikhani follows Nazanin, a seven-year-old girl, who is trying to reveal a secret that bothers her by getting close to the emergency agent who has come to their house to check on her mother.

This movie also won one of the two audience awards. The other one went “Aparat” directed by Hassan Najmabadi.

“Aparat” tells the story of six teenage boys in a remote village who decide to work in the corrals in order to raise the money they need to rent an 8 mm movie projector from a tour guide.

Photo: “The Fourth Wall” by Mahbubeh Kalai.

MMS/YAW