“Simin” receives Baikal Special Prize at Russian festival
TEHRAN –(Iranart)- Iranian director Morteza Atashzamzam’s film “Simin” has won the Baikal Special Prize at the Baikal International Film Festival in Russia, the organizers have announced.
“Simin” received the award “for the acuteness of the problem posed in the feature film,” the jury said in a statement published during the closing ceremony of the festival on Monday.
The festival focuses on people and the environment, and the Baikal prize is given to the film which mostly focuses on environmental issues.
The film investigates the reasons behind the drying up of Zayandehrud River, which was once flowing in the central Iranian province of Isfahan, chronicling the impacts on the lives of people, particularly on farmers.
Mohammadreza Hedayati, Laleh Eskandari, Mohammad Fili and Pari Karbalai are the main members of the cast.
The Baikal festival jury, chaired by Russian actor and film director Vladimir Grammatikov, gave the Grand Prix to the film “Honeyland” by Ljubomir Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska from North Macedonia.
“Father Baikal” by Marina Maria Melnik from Russia won the best documentary award.
A lineup of 34 films from Russia, North Macedonia, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, the Philippines, Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, Canada, Spain, Belarus, Poland, Japan and Norway were screened at the festival.
source: Tehran Times