TEHRAN-Six feature films from Iran are present at the 12th Asian Film Festival Barcelona (AFFBCN), which was launched in the Spanish city on October 24.

The Iranian films include “A Childless Village” directed by Reza Jamali, “Green Plum Season” by Ali Bayat, “Junks and Dolls” by Manijeh Hekmat, “The Ropewalker Memories” by Hamed Rajabi, “Waltz for Three” by Arman Zarrinkoub, and “When You Were Not Here” by Kaveh Sajjadi Hosseini, ISNA reported.

“A Childless Village” is a film-in-film comedy about a small village, where no children have been born for a while and all the men assume that it is the fault of the women.

Two decades ago, old filmmaker Kazem came to this remote rural village to make a documentary about the barrenness of the village women. But the village women wanted to protect their dignity, so they stole and burnt the footage.

By today, the villagers have found out that the men are sterile and there is nothing wrong with the women. With the help of his assistant, Kazem tries to record some interviews with the infertile men to unfold the truth in a new movie, but this turns out in many ways to be a Mission: Impossible.

“Green Plum Season” tells the story of Ata, who after resigning from his position as a judge, retreats to his family's villa in the countryside, only to be met with a chilly reception from his son, Farhad, who has recently been released from prison.

As Ata's wife, Giti, files for divorce, tensions escalate, and the family is thrown into turmoil. However, their already strained relationships are further complicated when a car accident claims Farhad's life and leaves Giti paralyzed. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Ata finds himself caught in a web of lies as he tries to shield Giti from the truth. Meanwhile, Farhad's girlfriend, Vida, becomes increasingly suspicious of the circumstances surrounding his death.

“Junks and Dolls” revolves around a couple, who is destined to build up their life in the heart of a waste depot in the heart of Iranian north forests. They begin to make different things with the junks they find and to make friends with the other people… but what remains of the people who are determined to fight their nature?

“The Ropewalker Memories” is about a young man and his father, who share a close living arrangement in the same apartment. Despite his son's objections, the father invites sex workers into their home. One day, he brings home a woman who refuses to leave. Both father and son join forces to persuade her to depart. However, when she finally departs of her own accord, her absence becomes unbearable for the two men.

“Waltz for Three” is a psychological drama filled with mystery and tension. The story follows Mahmoud, who returns home after a long absence. His return coincides with a disturbing event: Fakhri, his mother, receives a call from the psychiatric hospital that will change their lives forever. As they try to maintain an appearance of normalcy, a police officer bursts into their home, intent on investigating the family’s past. Gradually, dark family secrets begin to surface, unleashing a series of revelations that will challenge their familial bonds.

“When You Were Not Here” offers a demystified and contemporary reading of the epic poem, the “Odyssey”. Marziyeh, a young mother, has been taking care of and providing for her children during the years that her husband, Farhad, has been away. He fled illegally to Australia with his landlord’s son. One night, after five years of disappearance, Farhad returns home and spends the night with Marziyeh, but, against all odds, the next morning he disappears again. This time, Marziyeh begins to actively and desperately search for him.

In addition to the screening of films from Iran, two Iranians are present as jurors in the main section of the festival. Kamyar Mohsenin and Nastaran Molavi are serving on the jury panel of the official competition.

Kamyar Mohsenin, 53, worked as a film critic and translator with different film magazines as well as Iranian National Film Archive publications and then started an analytical TV Program, “Film 90’s”, as a researcher and co-creator in 1996. 

Mohsenin began his collaboration with the Farabi Cinema Foundation as a research executive in 1998. During his cooperation with Farabi until 2018, he was involved in the organization of such international film events as Fajr, Iranian Film Market, Children and Young Adults, Kish, Urban, etc. 

He has been a lecturer in different courses on the history of cinema and a film critic in the International Film Guide, film magazines, papers, and TV programs. He worked with the Fajr International Film Festival from 2016 to 2021 as the manager of international relations and programming director. After leaving Farabi, with Amir and Mohmmad Esfandiari, he co-founded the private sector company, IRIMAGE, in late 2018.

Nastaran Molavi, 55, studied stage acting and directing at Niavaran Art School. She was also active as a puppeteer in Kanoon for some time. Afterward, Molavi began her work as a film critic, working with film magazines such as Film and Art (as editor-in-chief), Soroush, Cinema Weekly, Form, and Criticism, etc. 

Molavi was the international senior programmer of Fajr International Film Festival, accredited by FIAPF as an international competitive film festival in 2021. She has been active as board member and PR executive of IRIMAGE since 2018.

This year's Barcelona Asian Film Festival hosts over a hundred films representative of the experimental and independent cinema of the new Asian cinema, with the participation of filmographies from 20 countries in Asia and the Pacific.

The festival will award a total of 18 prizes to the winners in different categories, as chosen by a jury of directors, film critics, and writers.

This year, the festival incorporates a course dedicated to Asian cinema, a series of round tables, in addition to presentations and discussions with guest directors. 

The 12th edition of the Asian Film Festival Barcelona will conclude on November 3.

SS/