Fajr Int’l Film Festival Wraps Up in Tehran

At the ceremony also attended by Iranian and international filmmakers and guests, winners of this edition were announced.

‘Aga’ by Milko Lazarov, a co-production from Bulgaria, Germany, France, won Best Film, while Cambodian documentary film director Rithy Panh won the Peace Award.

After the announcement, Oliver Stone was asked to come on the stage to present the award.

“My friend worked for a long period of time and in difficult conditions to make his motion picture. I’m honoured to present Rithy Panh with the Peace Award,” Stone said while presenting the award to the Cambodian documentary film director, MNA reported.

The list of winners is as follows:

International Competition (Cinema Salvation)

Best Film: Milko Lazarov, Aga (Bulgaria, Germany, France)

Best Director: Alexey German Jr., Dovlatov (Russia, Poland, Serbia)

Best Script: Ramtin Lavafi, Hattrick (Iran)

Best Actor: Leon Lucev, The Miner (Slovenia, Croatia)

Best Actress: Mahoor Alvand, Hattrick (Iran)

Special Jury Prize: Richard Kendrick, Cinematographer, Song of Granite (Ireland, Canada)

Best Short Film: Faith, Tatiana Fedorovskaya (Russia)

Special Mention: Mr. Deer, Mojtaba Mousavi (Iran)

The Cinema Salvation – International Competition Jury: Joanna Kos-Krauze (Poland), Milcho Manchevski (Macedonia), Dimitri Athanitis (Greece), Adoor Gopalakrishnan (India), Giovanni Spagnoletti (Italy), Mahmoud Kalari (Iran), Merila Zarei (Iran).

Asian Film Awards

Best Asian Film: Father and Son, Dung Ding Loung (Vietnam)

Best Asian Director: Maryam Bahrololumi, Patio (Iran)

Best Short Film: Pedavore, Mohammad Kart (Iran)

Eastern Vista – Panorama of Films from Asian and Islamic Countries Jury: Salome Demuria (Georgia), Suhan Pansha (Malaysia), Ahmet Boyagioglu (Turkey), Ammar Jamal (Iraq), Farhad Aslani (Iran)

Interfaith Award

Grain, Semih Kaplanoglu (Turkey, Germany, France, Sweden, Qatar)

Interfaith Competition Jury: Valerie De Marnhac (France), Thomas Kroll (Germany), Mohammad-Reza Zaeri (Iran)

NETPAC Prize

Hendi & Hormoz, Abbas Amini (Iran)

NETPAC Jury: Raman Chawla (India), Asif Rustamov (Azerbaijan), Habib Ahmadzadeh (Iran)

Best First Film Award

Dressage, Pooya Badkoobeh (Iran)

First Film Jury: Viera Langerova (Slovakia), Barmak Akram (Afghanistan), Mohammad Ali Bashe Ahangar (Iran)

Muhammad Al Ameen Award

Majid Majidi, Beyond the Clouds (India)

Peace Prize

Peace Prize for Lifetime Achievement: Rithy Panh (Cambodia)

Honorary Diploma: The Miner, Hanna Slack (Slovenia, Croatia)

With director Reza Mirkarimi at helm of 2018, Fajr Filmfest heralded stronger comebacks from Asia, Europe and Middle East. Whatever one says of Middle East cinema and its power rankings, the region’s best and most powerful showcase for cinema is, has been, and for all foreseeable time will be this festival, which runs in Charsou Cineplex and other venues in in the Iranian capital until April 27.