TEHRAN – Iranian director Alireza Rasulinejad’s film “Eastwood” will go on screen in Double Shadows section of the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (YIDFF), which will be held in the Japanese city from October 5 to 12.

The film tells the story of an Iranian Don Quixote on a quest to find Clint Eastwood, creating a clever and heartfelt satire that challenges Hollywood's cultural influence, even within the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Another Iranian film “Broken Whispers”, co-directed by filmmaker brothers Amir Masud and Amir Athar Soheili will also compete in the other section of the festival. 

The documentary recounts the tale of urban residents who, emerging from the devastation of war, bravely carry their shattered instruments in an effort to resurrect the soul of music and art within the city.

Tired from the trials of the artistic journey, an aged painter discovers a shattered instrument amidst the ruins. Determined, he mends the broken contraption. As his students embark on a mission to find a skilled musician to play the resurrected instrument, they encounter fellow artists whose souls bear the weight of war's indelible marks.

The Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival is a biennial documentary film festival held in Japan. Inaugurated in 1989, it is one of the world’s longest-running documentary film festivals.

Over the years, it has become one of the most important and prestigious documentary film festivals in Asia. On the other hand, the festival has managed to retain its intimate atmosphere, where Asian filmmakers can meet their Western colleagues and exchange ideas and experiences. The YIDFF is very popular among independent filmmakers.

The Yamagata Documentary Film Festival strives to showcase the best achievements in documentary filmmaking, as well as to promote and popularize documentary filmmaking in the region. It explores new trends in the genre and discovers new talents by encouraging and supporting up-and-coming filmmakers.

The YIDFF is a competitive film festival where several prizes are awarded. The Grand Prize of the YIDFF was named after Robert J. Flaherty and Frances H. Flaherty. Robert was an American filmmaker who created the first commercially successful feature-length documentary, and his wife Frances worked alongside her husband on several of his films. The Flaherty Prize is presented to the best film in the International Competition.

Photo: A scene from Iranian director Alireza Rasulinejad’s film “Eastwood”

ABU/