TEHRAN – Four movies by Iranian directors are competing in the 23rd edition of the Wisconsin Film Festival currently ongoing in the U.S. city of Madison.

“World War III”, “Without Her”, “Leila’s Brothers” and “Until Tomorrow” have been selected to be screened in the official section of the festival, which will run until April 20.

Directed by Hooman Seyyedi, “World War III” was Iran’s submission to the international feature award at the 2023 Oscars.

The film depicts a hapless day laborer who finds himself cast in a film about the Nazi regime while hiding his girlfriend, a sex worker fleeing from her exploiters, on the set.

“Without Her” by Arian Vazirdaftari is a psychological drama about Roya who encounters a quiet young girl who appears lost and doesn’t remember anything just two weeks before emigrating from Iran to Denmark. She takes her in, providing her with a home and introducing her to her husband, family and friends, all the while blissfully unaware that this girl has come to replace her.

Starring Tannaz Tabatabai, the film brought her the Crystal Simorgh for best actress at the 2022 Fajr Film Festival in Tehran.

In “Leila’s Brothers” by Saeid RustaiHer, Leila has been the strong backbone of her family her whole life, taking care of her aging parents and four floundering brothers. Now 40, unmarried, and the only one with a job, she’s stuck supporting them all, until a longshot business opportunity emerges that could be the family’s salvation. Leila and her brothers come up with a plan that just might get them out of poverty—but their father’s pride stands in the way.

A co-production from Iran, France and Qatar, “Until Tomorrow” has been directed by Ali Asgari.

The film is about Fereshteh who studies and works in Tehran. But what her parents don’t know is that she also has a two-month-old daughter out of wedlock. When they announce a spontaneous visit, she has to take the child somewhere else for a night. This would not normally be a problem – but with the pressure of time, the plan proves to be a difficult undertaking. With the help of her quick-witted roommate Atefeh, Fereshteh embarks on an odyssey through the city. 

Photo: Tannaz Tabatabai and Shadi Karamrudi act in a scene from “Without Her”.

MMS/YAW