TEHRAN – Eight Iranian movies will be competing in the 8th edition of the International Film Festival of Shimla in India.

The festival will take place from August 26 to 28 in Shimla, the capital of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh in the Himalayan foothills.

“The Girls Boarding House”, a drama on sexual assault against girls by Maryam Ebrahimvand, is the sole feature of the lineup. 

“Forbidden Birth”, “Dawn”, “Wild Red/Bloody Alpaca”, “My Partner Giraffe”, “Footsteps”, “Stain” and “Titi” have been chosen to be screened in the short competition.

“Forbidden Birth” by Sohrab Kavir is about Leila, whose surprise birthday party is thrown into turmoil when it is revealed that she is pregnant. Her boyfriend has left her to deal with the situation. 

In “Dawn”, director Armin Rahiminejad focuses on a betrayal drama. Sepideh thinks that her husband Morteza has an affair with a woman. She takes a trip to give her relationship with Morteza a break.

“Wild Red/Bloody Alpaca” shows how the pains caused by a man can affect a woman mentally. Director Nima Valibeigi presents a surreal treatment of a relationship that is dominated by abuse.

Directed by Salaheddin Nuri, “My Partner Giraffe” is about a bookstore that makes money in an unusual way. A person notices this unusual business and asks the bookseller for a ransom in exchange for not revealing it. The bookseller and his wife decide to get rid of him.

“Titi” by Marzieh Fakhar follows a woman who after five years of marriage takes all the steps to undergo a transgender procedure when she realizes that she is pregnant.

The lineup also features “Footsteps” by Hamed Bahrami and “Stain” by Farziv Bakhtiari.

The organizers said that the mission of the festival is to showcase the world’s best cinema and develop taste for good films among the youth and provide a platform for independent filmmakers as well as promote Indian regional cinema.

Photo: “The Girls Boarding House” by Maryam Ebrahimvand.

MMS/YAW