TEHRAN-Six documentaries from Iran will take part in the 5th edition of Reflection of Disability in Art International Festival, which will be held in Thessaloniki, Greece, from December 3 to 10.

One of the Iranian movies will have a public screening during the Greek event and five more films will be shown at the online platform of the festival, Honaronline reported on Saturday.

The documentary “Ahmad” directed by Azam Moradi will be shown on December 5, along with 11 other films that negotiate disability through the standpoint of art.

According to the festival website, that day's topic is named “Disability and Art part I”. “These films' creators/artists/protagonists are narrating their stories and personal experiences. They are telling us about their professions and the ways they entertain themselves. They are also explaining to us the means and mechanisms they use to make their lives better and be self-determined. All these are possible through art -any kind or form- sculpting, painting, play creation, audiovisual synthesis, photography, movie-making, dance, theater/performance, animation, music, crafts, etc.”

“Ahmad” is about Ahmad Arjamndi, who lost some physical and speaking abilities as a result of damage to his brain from childhood. However, he learns to cope with disability, and chases after his dreams in art.

In the Online section, “I Am Irani” by Farhad Irani, “Champion” by Mehrdad Shaabani-Nia, “Abrash” by Soren Rezaee, “Water, Wind, Dust & Bread” by Mahdi Zamanpoor Kiasari, and “Tree of Valiasr St.” by Emad Hoseini-Fard will be screened.

“I Am Irani” is a docu-drama about Farhad, a well-known Iranian photographer, who was born with a rare genetic disorder known as Treacher-Collins Syndrome (TCS), which affects facial structure development. Although TCS has made Farhad stand out all his life, his ability to rise above all challenges sets him apart.

“Champion” is the title of the documentary about the Paralympic champion, Bahman Golbarnejad, who was born in Abadan.

The documentary “Abrash” revolves around the life of a blind old man named “Uncle Rashid” and his beautiful horse “Abrash”, who lives with his family in a village on the slopes of a mountain. He lost his sight when he was a child but being blind does not mean the end of life. He earns his living by selling dairy products that he prepares with his wife. The horse faithfully accompanies him in the rainy weather, in the foggy atmosphere, in the heat, and in the strange events.

“Water, Wind, Dust & Bread” is a short documentary about the life of the 11-year-old boy Abolfazl and the 8-year-old girl Setayesh who have no birth certificate in a remote border area. They move along in hardship and strive for their living.

“Tree of Valiasr St.” tells the story of an alone mother who works fulltime in people’s houses to make ends meet for herself and her 6-year-old sightless child. Her cherished time of the day is the minutes on bus on the way to work, which she spends describing the outside images for her son.

The purpose of the festival is to highlight art through the perspective of disability. The idea starts from the inalienable right of people with disabilities to express themselves through art, either amateur or professional. The festival is meant to reflect the skills of people with disabilities and the opportunities that each society has to provide to each individual, contributing to the cultural identity of the individual and society.

SS/SAB