Iranian Film Festival

Iranian Film Festival
Friday, Jan 31, 2025 at 6:45pm
IFC Center
323 Sixth Avenue

3rd IrFFNY presents a selection of acclaimed and award-winning films from one of the world’s most vital and distinguished national cinemas. The festival aims to unite two strands of Iranian moviemaking – the classic art-house Iranian cinema beloved by cinephiles around the world, and new cutting-edge works that showcase the adventurousness and daring nature of younger Iranian directors.

Schedule

6:45 pm: Once Upon A Time, Cinema

Iran, 1992, Comedy/Drama, 92min [Restored Version]

Writer & Director: Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Cast: Ezzatollah Entezami, Fatemeh Motamed-Arya, Mehdi Hashemi, Mohammad-Ali Keshavarz

Synopsis:
A silent-era cinematographer living in the early 20th Century finds himself mysteriously transported back to a pre-cinema time. Seized by guards and brought to the reigning Shah, the cinematographer introduces cinema to the leader who soon becomes entranced by the medium and enamoured with silent movie actor Golnar (Fatemah Motamed-Arya). Soon, the line between fantasy and reality becomes impossibly blurred.

Festivals & Awards:
– Karlovy vary Film Festival 1992; Best Film
– Karlovy vary Film Festival 1992; Best Director
– Seattle International Film Festival 1994.
– Los Angeles Film Festival 1994
– Locarno International Film Festival 1994

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9:30 pm: The Killer and the Savage

Iran, 2024, Crime/Drama, 2024, 118min. (Rated R- Strong Violence)

Director: Hamid Nematollah
Writers: Hamid Nematollah, Masoumeh Bayat
Cast: Leila Hatami, Amin Hayayee, Shahram Haghighatdoost, Setareh Eskandari

Synopsis:
Ziba is a woman who feels that she has never done anything meaningful for her daughter. One day, she accidentally gets mixed up in a crime. The fear of her daughter being dragged into this deadly scenario is more devastating for Ziba than the violence and torture inflicted on her by the criminals. But, how far can violence go?

Director's Bio:
Born in Tehran on October 22, 1967, Hamid Nematollah worked as an assistant director from 1993 until 1997. In 1996 he started writing for television and working on TV commercials. His series, WHITE ALARM, remains one of the most popular television events in recent Iranian history. His first feature, ‘Boutique', won best actress award for ‘Golshifteh Farahani' at the 2002 ‘Three Continents Festival' in Nantes, France.

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