TEHRAN – “Beloved” and “Exodus” from Iranian filmmakers to compete in the Hot Docs, North America’s largest documentary festival that will be held in the Canadian city of Toronto from April 25 to May 5, the organizers have announced.

Directed by Bahman Kiarostami, “Exodus” will be screened in the International Spectrum. It is about thousands of Afghan migrants, which have lined up to leave Iran as the renewed U.S. sanctions have sparked a recession, but first, they must endure interrogations at an immigration center in Tehran.

Earlier in December 2108, “Exodus” was named best film at the 12th Cinema Verite, Iran’s major festival of documentary films.

“Beloved” by Yasser Talebi tells the story of Firuzeh, an 82-year-old female cowherd in northern Iran who prefers a hard, solitary herder’s existence with her cows to a more comfortable life among people.

The documentary, which will compete in the Hot Docs World Showcase, was screened in the Culinary Cinema section of the 69th Berlin International Film Festival – Berlinale in February.

Photo: “Exodus” by Bahman Kiarostami will be screened at the 2019 Hot Docs in Toronto, Canada.  

MMS