On Thursday, 26 April, the FIFF Critics Circle named Dovlatov (2018), for “its inventive narrative, Chekhovian humor and dreamlike fluidity”, as the crowning achievement in film with the 2018 Critics’ Choice Award.
Directed by Alexey German Jr., Dovlatov is a co production of Russia, Poland and Serbia. It is about a few days in the life of writer Sergei Dovlatov in 1971 Leningrad, on the eve of the emigration of his friend, the future Nobel laureate Joseph Brodsky (Artur Beschastny).
The critics also awarded Miner (2017) with honorary diploma, for “its unique approach to the forgotten genocides in the labyrinths of history all through an absorbing narrative and thought provoking imagery.”
Directed by Hanna Slak, The Miner is a coproduction of Croatia and Slovenia. It is based on a true story of an immigrant miner in Slovenia, who in a sealed mine, deep underground, finds thousands of bodies of people thrown into a pit after WW2.
Manager of International Relation Kamyar Mohsenin announced the winners.
According to Media Manager Kayvan Kassirian, the critics in this category were: Saeid Aghighi, Shadmehr Rastin, Kamyar Mohsenin, Saeid Ghotbizadeh, Antonia Shoraka, Homa Tavassoli, Amir Pouria, Mohsen Azarm and Mehrzad Danesh.
He said the Pejman Foundation presented the cash prizes. He further thanked managing director Hamidreza Pejman, American film critic Godfrey Cheshire, and Iranian artist Ali Akbar Sadeghi for their participation.
Also speaking, Iranian film critic Majid Eslami said: Movies of different genres from different countries were screened in this category. This is welcome news, because it can meet different tastes and expectations all at the same time. The top movies were selected with majority of votes.
After receiving her diploma, Hanna Slak said: It’s a great honour to receive this prize. I’m happy to this prize from a country where the quality of its films are top-notch.
Festival Director Ali Mirkarimi, Head of Festival Palace Reza Kianian, Iranian actress Fatemeh Motamed-Aria, as well as judges Shadmehr Rastin, Homa Tavassoli, Mohsen Azarm, Mehrzad Danesh, Majid Eslami and Kamyar Mohsenin attended the ceremony.
The curtain falls on the 36th edition of the Fajr International Film Festival, presided over by Reza Mirkarimi, on Thursday, 26 April. According to event organizer Mohammad Hamidi Moghaddam, Vahdat Hall is hosting the closing ceremony at 6:30 pm, attended by Iranian and international filmmakers and guests. The most anticipated moment of the Fajr Filmfest includes live classical music performances by tenors Shahram Nazeri and Hafez Nazeri.
