TEHRAN -- Iran’s Khosro Masumi was named best director for his film “A Faraway Place” at the 30th Cairo International Film Festival held from Nov. 28 to Dec. 8.

Masumi was given the prize by prominent Egyptian actor Omar El Sherif who was the honorary president of the festival.

The jury, presided by Argentinean director Luis Puenzo, praised Masumi for the professional portrayal of a love story through beautiful and impressing scenes.

“A Faraway Place” is the second sequel of Masumi’s trilogy and sets in Kojur, northern Iranian province of Mazandaran, where illegal woodcutters kill a forester. A young man named Jamal confesses that he has committed the murder. But everything shows that Jamal's actions are driven by his love for the mute girl Niala.

Masumi began making his trilogy in 2004 with “Tradition of Lover Killing” which received the Best Film Award at Shanghai International Film Festival last June.