TEHRAN – Several Iranian movies won awards at the 23rd Canberra Short Film Festival (CSFF), which is currently underway in the Australian capital. 

“You Are Still Here”, co-directed by Katayun Parmar and Mohammad Ruhbakhsh, brought the best sound design award to sound engineer Ramin Abolsedq. 

Farshad Mohammadi received the best cinematography award for his collaboration in the film. 

The film is about the life story of a young couple, which is on the verge of collapse due to the sudden blindness of the man. They try to hold on to their common past to save their lives.

Iranian films “Sleepless” by Sudabeh Kamrani, about a woman who wakes up every night with a child’s cry, and “Greyish” by Eqbal Shirazei, an animation about a woolen old man, also received honorable mentions. 

The German movie “Extra Sauce” written and directed Alireza Qasemi won the best screenplay award. 

German actors Antonio Lallo and Ben Janssen shared the best actor award for their roles in the movie. 

The film is about Hans, a mediocre, heartbroken actor, who is greeted by an Angel of Death after attempting suicide an hour before his play’s premiere. A sarcastic conversation begins as Hans tries to convince the angel that he should be brought back to the world of the living while the angel enjoys delicious cheeseburgers and lemonade, and gives the actor relationship advice.

“Portraitist” by the Iran-born Luxembourgish director Cyrus Neshvad was crowned best film, while Lily Landecy from Switzerland was named best director for her movie “La Chrysalide”.

The film screenings in various sections of the CSFF will continue until Sunday. 

Photo: A scene from “You Are Still Here” co-directed by Katayun Parmar and Mohammad Nurbakhsh.

ABU/MMS/YAW