TEHRAN – Iranian director Narges Abyar’s acclaimed drama “When the Moon Was Full” received the audience award at the 23rd Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, which is underway in the Estonian capital, the organizers announced on Saturday. 

The film tells the story of a woman from Tehran who marries a man from an Iranian province near the border of Pakistan. Soon after, she discovers that her new brother-in-law is a religious extremist trying to recruit her husband for his bloody cause.

“Kontora” by Anshul Chauhan from Japan won the grand prize of the festival and Jun Robles Jana from the Philippines was named best director for his movie “Kalel, 15”.

The best actress award went to Alina Serban from Germany for her role in “Gypsy Queen” by Hüseyin Tabak, while Cavan Clerkin from Britain was crowned best actor for his role in “Muscle” by Gerard Johnson.

Eight more Iranian films, including “Dance with Me” by Sorsuh Sehat, “The Warden” by Nima Javidi and “Just 6.5” by Saeid Rustai, were also screened in various sections of the Tallinn festival, which will come to an end tomorrow.

Photo: Director Narges Abyar (R) and cast member Hutan Shakiba pose after accepting the audience award for “When the Moon Was Full” at the 23rd Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival in Estonia on November 30, 2019. (POFF)

ABU/MMS/YAW