Iran’s “Twenty” wins Karlovy Vary jury special prize
Tehran Times Art Desk

TEHRAN -- Abdorreza Kahani’s “Twenty” won the jury special award at the 44th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic on Saturday.

Kahani presented his award to the people of Iran and asked all the audience to applaud the Iranian people while standing up.

The tragi-comic film “Twenty” is Kahani’s third production and was an entry to the competition section of the festival.

Kahani along with actress Mahtab Keramati and film editor Shima Monfared attended the screening session of the film in the Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary last week and took part in the question and answer panel held after the screening.

Starring Parviz Parastuii and Mahtab Karamati, “Twenty” focuses on a once-popular reception hall now reduced to catering to the funeral business, whose workers are struggling to preserve it.

Actress Niki Karimi was selected for the Grand Jury of the festival. She was also holding a series of workshops during the program.

The Crystal Globe of the festival went to the film “Angel at Sea” directed by Frederic Dumont. The award was presented by American actor and filmmaker John Malkovich.

The Independent Camera Award of the festival went to the Irish film “Eamon” by Margaret Corkery.

The prize Europa Cinemas Label was granted to the Danish film “Applause” by Martin Pieter Zandvliet.

The Award of International Film Critics went to the Serbia and Croatia co-production “Will Not Stop There” by Vinko Bresan.

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival opened on July 3 and ran until July 11. The award-winning Iranian film “About Elly,” a drama by director Asghar Farhadi was also screened in the festival’s Horizons, a section dedicated to the latest productions from around the world.

Photo: Director Abdorreza Kahani gestures to the audience after receiving the jury special award for “Twenty” at the 44th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on July 11, 2009. (Karlovy Vary IFF)

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