TEHRAN -- “The New World”, a drama on love and immigration by the Dutch filmmaker Jaap van Heusden, has won the best film award in the international section of the 32nd Fajr International Film Festival.Producer Marc Bary received a Crystal Simorgh for Best Film during the closing ceremony of the international section of the festival at Tehran’s Parsian Azadi Hotel on Tuesday evening.
“The New World” tells the story of Mirte, a middle-aged cleaner at a Dutch center for asylum seekers. She tries to forget her past through routine. When Luc, a new arrival from West Africa, is brought in, Mirte seems to get a grip on her life again.
Issaka Sawadogo won a Crystal Simorgh for Best Actor for the portrayal of Luc, and Bianca Krijgsman was awarded a Crystal Simorgh for Best Actress for portrayal of Mirte in “The New World”.
The Crystal Simorgh for Best Director went to Turkey’s Reis Celik for his “Night of Silence”, a drama about the sacrificial nature of many arranged marriages.
Russian director/screenwriter Yuri Bykov was honored with a jury special award for his crime drama “The Major”.
The jury also presented another special award to Ebrahim Hatamikia, Iranian director and screenwriter of “Che”, which is about the Iranian veteran Mostafa Chamran.
Melina Pota Koljevic and Srdjan Koljevic won a Crystal Simorgh for Best Screenwriter for “Circles” by the Serbian director Srdan Golubovic.
The Crystal Simorgh for Best Technical or Artistic Achievement was presented to Kazakh director Ermek Tursunov for “The Old Man”.
A number of the films and cineastes were also honored in the Inter-Religion Section, which is held on the sidelines of the international section.
“Tangerines” by Georgian director Zaza Urushadze won the best film award. The film also brought Urushadze the best screenwriter award.
The Palestinian filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad received the best director award for his Oscar-nominated feature “Omar”.
Kazakh director/writing Emir Baigazin was presented a special jury award for “Harmony Lessons”.
The Crystal Simorgh for Best Technical or Artistic Achievement in section went to the Oscar-winning English composer Stephen Warbeck for his collaboration in “Hussein, Who Said No”, an Iranian blockbuster on the uprising of Imam Hussein (AS) against the tyranny of the Umayyad dynasty.
The director of “Hussein, Who Said No”, Ahmadreza Darvish was honored with the Golden Flag (Beiraq Talaii), previously named the Moustapha Akkad Award. The award was established in 2007 to honor documentary and feature-length films promoting faith and hope.
“We Have Guests”, a family drama by Iranian director Mohammad-Mehdi Asgarpur, was named the best Asian film.
The organizers of the festival also honored the Oscar-winning Italian cinematographer Vittorio Storaro with a lifetime achievement award.
He collaborated in “Muhammad (S)”, Iranian director Majid Majidi’s blockbuster about the Prophet Islam (S).
The festival will be running until February 11, when the winners in the national competition will be announced.
MMS/YAW
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