TEHRAN -- The jury of the Iran Cinema Celebration gave the nod to the controversial film “Know Your Country” in 12 categories.

The family drama, which lacks a screening license from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, is the most nominated film of the celebration
Directed by Indian filmmaker Bahman Framanara, the film has been nominated for 12 out of 16 categories in the 12th edition of the gala celebrating Iranian National Cinema Day.
“Know Your Country” (also known as “The Familiar Earth”) is among the films competing for awards in the key categories of best film, best director, and best screenplay.
The film tells the story of a well-known painter named Bahman Namdar (played by Reza Kianian), who heads towards his homeland in the Kordestan region of Iran to find a haven of tranquility in which to rest. However, he has to put up with his sister’s junkie son Babak (Babak Hamidian) as a travel companion.
Framanara, who is also the producer of the film, had applied for the 26th Fajr International Film Festival in February 2008, but the Culture Ministry asked him to cut some sequences out in order to grant a screening license for the film. However, he refrained.
“The Book of the Law” and “100 Years Better than These Years”, both of which have also not been licensed by the Culture Ministry, have been nominated in various categories of the celebration.
The Culture Ministry has been angered over the participation of the unauthorized films in the celebration, which is held annually by the House of Cinema.
“The House of Cinema has acted contrary to the regulations and the organizers of the celebration should explain why it did so,” the ministry’s Supervision and Evaluation Office director Mahmud Arbabi told the Persian service of MNA on Saturday.
“The celebration is a cinematic event and we prefer not to pay heed to other irrelevant terms and conditions,” said celebration secretary Amin Tarokh, who is also a veteran actor.
The Organizers of the celebration usually try to act independently of the views that dominate the Fajr International Film Festival, which is Iran’s leading official film gala.
The winners will be announced during ceremony that will be held outdoors at the foot of Tehran’s Milad Tower on September 15.
The celebration is held annually on September 12. This year’s ceremony was postponed due to its coincidence with a religious occasion.
Photo: Reza Kianian (R) and Babak Hamidian in a scene from “Know Your Country”