TEHRAN – Iranian drama “Dabur” has been picked as the grand jury best short at the 18th edition of the Soria Short Film Fest in Spain.

Written and directed by Saeid Nejati, the acclaimed film follows Maryam, a little girl who starts her periods in the middle of her parents’ dispute while her mother is away.

The film has previously been screened at several international festivals, including the 2020 Fajr Film Festival, where it won the Crystal Simorgh for best short.

The winners of the Soria Short Film Fest were awarded last week in Soria.

“On Your Behalf” by Ana Garcia Rico from the UK won the award for best international short.

In the small White Heights police department they find no solution to the wave of crimes that have occurred in such a peaceful place. As Ava begins her statement, Detective McHendry cannot believe what she is hearing. He could never imagine the motive for the crimes.

The best fiction short film award went to “The Construction of a Sound” by Chilean director Cristóbal Arteaga Rozas.

In this film, a couple prepares a meal for their guests. The apparent tranquility of the night will be altered when she goes out to buy soy sauce. “The Construction of a Sound” is a sensory experiment that seeks to break the way we see a movie.

“The Weight of It” by Olivia Marie Valdez, Sandra Afonso Rodríguez and Einar Soler Fernández won the best animated short film award.

Maria has recently recovered from a mastectomy and breast reconstruction due to breast cancer. Tonight, as she gets ready for bed, she struggles to see her new body as beautiful. But as she explores and rediscovers herself, she realizes that her scars are a symbol of strength. With the support of her husband, she learns to love the woman she sees in her mirror.

“Kambana” by Spanish filmmaker Samuel Pastor was named best short documentary.

It is about a mother and her two twin sons, who are rejected by their environment for being twins. In the Mananjary region of Madagascar, there is a popular belief that twins are bearers of misfortune.

Photo: A scene from the Iranian short film “Dabur” directed by Saeid Nejati.

MMS/YAW