TEHRAN – A lineup of seven Iranian movies will be screened at the 26th International Film Festival of Kerala, India. 

All the films will be showcased in the World Cinema category of the festival, which will take place from March 18 to 25 in Thiruvananthapuram.

“Ballad of a White Cow” and “A Hero” are the highlights of the lineup.

“Ballad of a White Cow”, directed by Behtash Sanaeiha and Maryam Moqaddam, tells the story of Mina, a woman whose life is turned upside down when she learns that her husband Babak was innocent of the crime for which he was executed. 

The authorities apologize for the mistake and offer the prospect of financial compensation. Mina starts a silent battle against a cynical system for her own and her daughter’s sake. Just as her money is running out, a stranger named Reza knocks at her door, saying he has come to repay a debt he owed to Babak. Mina is guarded at first, but increasingly lets Reza into her life, unaware of the secret that ties them to one another.

“A Hero”, Oscar-winning director Asghar Farhadi’s acclaimed drama, is about Rahim, who is in prison because of a debt he was unable to repay. During a two-day leave, he tries to convince his creditor to withdraw his complaint against the payment of part of the sum. But things don't go as planned.

“The Son” will also be screened at this festival. In his debut feature, director Nushin Meraji shows Farid, a forty-year-old man who lives with his mother.

Farid is very vulnerable and escapes loneliness, but in the meantime tries to prove himself independent and supportive of his mother. However, her sudden death makes Farid frustrated. To escape from this unfamiliar situation, he clings to anyone he encounters outside home to make his loneliness bearable, but he does not know how to communicate, and the situation gets worse each time.

The lineup also includes “Absence” by Ali Mosaffa, “Killing the Eunuch Khan” by Abed Abest, “When Pomegranates Howl” by Granaz Musavi and “Ninteen” by Manijeh Hekmat.

Photo: “Ballad of a White Cow” directed by Behtash Sanaeiha and Maryam Moqaddam.

MMS/YAW