TEHRAN -- “Crazy Face”, a drama about the abuse of the internet in modern Iranian society, won the Simorgh for best film at the 33rd Fajr Film Festival, the organizers announced on Wednesday.
Producer Bita Mansuri, who is director Abolhassan Davudi’s wife, received the award.
The film also brought Davudi the Simorgh for best director.
“This is a prize for six years of patience from my wife who resisted her will to produce the film,” Davudi said in his acceptance speech.
Mansuri had failed to obtain the approval of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance under former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s administration to produce the movie.
The closing ceremony of the festival, which is Iran’s most important film gala, began with a concert by the Vasle Yar band led by Ali Zand-Vakili.
Afterwards, host Mohammadreza Shahidifar lamented the heavy air pollution in the southern Iranian city of Ahvaz and asked relevant officials to find a solution for the problem.
The audience experienced one of the most emotional moments of the ceremony as Rakhshan Bani-Etemad, the director of the acclaimed film “Tales”, came to the stage to present the best actress award to her daughter Baran Kowsari.
Kowsari, who received the award for her role in “Binam Alley”, director Hatef Alimardani’s drama about the clash between generations, said, “It is great honor for me that I receive this award from a jury with such lofty credentials.”
She dedicated her award to her mother and father, Jahangir Kowsari who is a film producer, and said, “The greatest honor of my life will be that my name is under the shadow of Rakhshan Bani-Etemad and Jahangir Kowsari.”
The best supporting actress award went to Sahar Dowlatshahi for her role in “The Ice Age” by director Mostafa Kiaii.
The best actor award went to Saeid Aqakhani for his role in director Farzad Motamen’s “Long Farewell”, which is about a man who begins improving his reputation after he is acquitted of a murder.
He received the award from his lifelong friend Mehran Modiri, the actor and director of the acclaimed TV series “Happy Hour”, “Noqtehchin” and “Pavarchin”.
The Simorgh for best supporting actor was given to Hooman Seyyedi for his role in “I Am Diego Maradona”.
The jury led by Majid Majidi presented its special award to producer Javad Noruzbeigi for “Bahman”, “I Am Diego Maradona” and “Confessions of My Dangerous Mind”.
Roya Mohaqqeq received the award for best screenwriter for her collaboration in Alireza Raisian’s romance “The Love Age”.
The Simorgh for best editor went to Nima Jafari Jozani for “The Ice Age” while the award for best cinematographer was presented to Alireza Zarrindast for “Mazar-i-Sharif” on the infamous story of the murder of Iranian diplomats and a journalist in Mazar-i-Sharif in 1998.
Best composer award was presented to Behzad Abdi for “Mazar-i-Sharif”.
Mahmud Sammakbashi won the Simorgh for best sound recorder for his work in “I Am Diego Maradona” and Bahman Ardalan received the best sound effects award for “Crazy Face”.
“Confessions of My Dangerous Mind” brought the Simorgh best stage designer for Mohsen Nasrollahi and best award for costume designer went to Jahangir Mirzajani for “Long Farewell”.
Mahin Navidi won the best award for makeup artist for his work in director Madud Jafari-Jozani’s comedy drama “Iranburger”.
Best visual effects award was presented to Vahid Qotbi for “Crazy Face”.
In the Art and Experience category, which is for art films, the jury presented a special award to director Amir-Hossein Saqafi for “A Man Who Became a Horse” and the best film award in this category went to director Faezeh Azizkhani for “The Rainy Day”.
The Jury special prize in the New Vision section, which screens works by first-time filmmakers, was awarded to Amir-Hossein Asgari for “Borderless” and producer Mohammad-Hossein Latifi won best film award for “Wednesday, May 9”.
The best director award in this section went to Vahid Jalilvand for “Wednesday, May 9”.
“Atlan”, a documentary produced by Moin Karimeddin about the life story of an Iranian Turkmen horse riding instructor, was crowned best documentary and Mehdi Ganji won best director award in the documentary section for “I Want to Become a Shah”.
Cinematography director Farshad Afshinpur honored with the jury special prize in this section.
Many officials, including Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati, cultural advisor of President Hassan Rouhani Hessameddin Ashena, and several other high-ranking officials attended the ceremony.
MMS/YAW
END
.jpg "Foreign diplomats visit the exhibition of the Khorvin artifacts at the National Museum of Iran in Tehran on February 9, 2015.")
.jpg "A poster for a charity exhibit entitled “Vein to Vein”, which is scheduled to raise funds for children with cancer")
.jpg "Winners of the 17th Children’s Book Festival pose at the closing ceremony of the event in Tehran on February 10, 2015.")
.jpg "Winners of the 17th Children’s Book Festival pose at the closing ceremony of the event in Tehran on February 10, 2015.")
.jpg)
.jpg)
TEHRAN – A new style of Persian calligraphy initiated by Iranian artist Kurosh Qazimorad was unveiled in an exhibition at the Iranian Artists Forum in Tehran on Friday..jpg)
.jpg "Tehran City Council member Ahmad Masjed-Jamei takes a glance at a replica of the Bam Citadel during an exhibition displaying 13 models of Iranian ancient and historical sites, all registered on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, at Tehran’s Miniature Garden Museum on February 13, 2015.")
.jpg)
.jpg)
TEHRAN – A new style of Persian calligraphy initiated by Iranian artist Kurosh Qazimorad was unveiled in an exhibition at the Iranian Artists Forum in Tehran on Friday..jpg "Tehran City Council member Ahmad Masjed-Jamei takes a glance at a replica of the Bam Citadel during an exhibition displaying 13 models of Iranian ancient and historical sites, all registered on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, at Tehran’s Miniature Garden Museum on February 13, 2015.")
