TEHRAN – Nine movies by Iranian filmmakers will be competing in the 11th MikroFAF in Serbia.

The international festival of DIY and independent short films will take place at the Museum of the Yugoslav Film Archive in Belgrade from November 13 to 15. 

“Divinity” (Malakout) by director Fernush Abedi is the highlight of the Iranian lineup.

The animated movie, which won the Excellence Award at the 18th Hiroshima International Animation Festival in August, is a horror film about a pianist, who has lost one of his hands and can’t play the piano anymore. Doctors decide to transplant a dead criminal’s hand to his body. The pianist with his new hand starts killing people.

The lineup also includes “The Rotation” by Hazhir As’adi. It tells the story of a country where there is a war between two tribes over claiming the sun in the sky. As a result of that war, the sun is annihilated and a volcano erupts. Those two tribes now are dead and a new sun is made, both done by the lava. Several centuries pass and the humans are still at war to claim the sun in the sky.

“Talker” by Mehrshad Ranjbar has also been selected to be screened in the official competition. 

The movie, which was named the best student film at the 18th Tirana International Film Festival in Albania in September, revolves around an elderly woman who has cared for her infirm husband for many years until one day this routine ends.

“Today Is Friday” by Mohammad Ahangar, “Rahmat Creel” by Behzad Alavi, “The Movement” by Ruzbeh Kazemi, “Raya” by Sepideh Berenji, “Bullets of Baptism” by Zivar Hojjati and “Prestige” by Zahra Ahui will also competing with 88 films from all over the world in the 11th MikroFAF, which is going to be held in digital format this year.

The motto of this year’s MikroFAF is “Can You Breathe?” to draw attention to the global sociopolitical unrest and turmoil that marked 2020 with their negative consequences and difficult challenges.

Photo: A poster for the 11th MikroFAF film festival in Serbia.

MMS/YAW