TEHRAN The film **** kandahar **** by the celebrated Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf will be screened in Tehran cinemas on May 10 to coincide with the beginning of the 54th Cannes International Film Festival in France. It is the only Iranian film which will be participating in the International Competition Section of the festival.

The film, which was originally called **** Trip to kandahar****, is about a 22-year-old Afghan immigrant named Nafas.

Nafas, who is living in Canada, receives a letter from his sister in Afghanistan. In the letter his sister says that, because of the deplorable living conditions in Afghanistan, she has decided to commit suicide during the last eclipse of the millennium.

The Afghan immigrant leaves Canada for Afghanistan to find his sister and encounters the atrocities and violence of the war in Afghanistan.

The 83-minute film is the 16th feature film directed by Makhmalbaf. **** kandahar ****, along with 22 other films, will take part in the International Competition Section of the forthcoming Cannes International Film Festival.

In addition to **** kandahar ****, three other Iranian films,

**** Under the Moonlight **** by Reza Mirkarimi, **** Stranger and Native **** by Ali-Mohammad Qassemi and the documentary film **** A, B, C, Africa **** by Abbas Kiarostami, will participate in other sections of the Festival.

Two other Makhmalbaf films, **** Gabbeh**** and **** Bread and Vase ****, were screened in past Cannes festivals.