TEHRAN -- Bahram Beizaii’s “When All of Us Are Asleep” was selected as the Audience Favorite Film at the international section of the 27th Fajr Film Festival and took the Crystal Simorgh home.

Beizaii expressed his thanks to the audience who selected his movie as the their favorite movie after receiving the Crystal Simorgh.
In a ceremony held at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on Monday, the winners of the international section in which 149 movies from 63 countries were competing were announced.
Aida Begic, the Bosnian director of “Snow” received the best film and best director awards at the Jaam-e Jahan-Nama Section. She expressed her happiness and said that when she came to Iran two years ago to negotiate with Mohammadreza Jafari-Jelveh (Iranian Deputy Culture Minister for Cinematic Affairs) on her project, she could not believe to return and receive an award from him after two years.
The special plaque of Moustapha Akkad was awarded to the Palestinian film “Leila’s Birthday” directed by Rashid Masharaoui.
Iranian “Homeland” by Abolhassan Davudi received the special award of Asian Cinema, and Davudi expressed his happiness in receiving the award and said that having had actor Ezzatollah Entezami in his movie has always been his dream which finally came true in “Homeland”.
In this section, the best film award went to the Japanese “Best Wishes for Tomorrow” by director Takashi Koizumi, and the best director award went to “With the Girl of Black Soil” by Jeon Soo-il from South Korea. Afghan director Barmak Akram also took an award for his “Afghan Girl”.
In the Seeking the Truth section, the best screenplay award went to “Walking My Life” by Satoshi Isaka (Japan) and Spanish Juan Antonio Bayona “The Orphanage” took the best director award. The best film award went to Iranian film “Each Night of Solitude” by Rasul Sadr-Ameli. In addition, young actress Fattaneh Malek-Mohammadi received an honorary diploma for her role in Tahmineh Milani’s “Superstar”.
“A Time to Love” by Iranian Ebrahim Foruzesh received the prize named “Prophets’ Way of Life” for the best film with the theme of dialogue among religions.
“Amin” by David Dusa from France took the best short film award in this section, and Iranian “Why Dogs Hate Cats” by Lida Fazli took the best animation award.
“The Divine Weapon” by Kim Yu-jin from South Korea won the best technical achievement award and Derya Alabora playing in “Pandora’s Box” by Yesim Ustaoglu (Turkey) took the best actress award.
Cinematic figures including Manijeh Hekmat, Puran Derakhshandeh, Shaqayeq Farahani, Tahmineh Milani, Mohammad Nikbin, and Naser Bakideh were among the participating guests.
The 27th Fajr Film Festival will announce Iran’s section winners on February 10.
Photo: Director Bahram Beizaii (1st from right) holds the Audience Favorite Crystal Simorgh of the international section awarded to him for “When All of Us Are Asleep” at the 27th Fajr Film Festival on February 3, 2009. Festival officials are also seen in the photo. (Mehr/Ahmad Motalaei)