TEHRAN – The Iranian short film “Unparallel World,” written and directed by Mohamad Yaraghi, won a prize at the 17th Lighthouse International Film Festival (LIFF), which was held in Long Beach Island, New Jersey, the United States.

The movie received the Jury Social Impact Award in the Shorts section at the event, which took place last week.

The 22-minute film offers a realistic portrayal of life through the eyes of a six-year-old girl growing up in a class-divided society.

A poor, motherless young girl is forced by her father to work as a peddler at a traffic light. She has a dream, but a tragic event sweeps away her hopes.

The cast includes Aynaz Fakour, Abbas Imani, Davood Mohammadabadi, Payam Haghnejad, Mehdi Hashemi, Ghazal Kuchakbeig, Mohammad Soori, and Samin Ostadi.

“Unparallel World” had previously won the Grand Prize at the Euroshorts Festival in Poland and was also screened at the BuSho Festival in Hungary.

The Lighthouse International Film Festival is an independent U.S. event that showcases narrative, documentary, and experimental films from filmmakers around the world.

It is not only a world-class film festival, but also a unique, cultural beach-centric experience like no other. LIFF was recognized twice by MovieMaker magazine as one of “The 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” (2018, 2020).

During the 17th edition, in addition to extraordinary screenings of hot new films from Sundance, SXSW, Toronto, Berlin, Cannes, Venice, etc., LIFF also offered engaging panels, masterclasses, and networking events.

The LIFF mission is to give independent filmmakers from around the world an opportunity for their voices to be heard and their stories to be told, allowing for diverse storytelling and giving audiences the opportunity to explore current issues while being educated, enlightened, engaged, and always entertained.

The festival organizers believe film, as an art form, has the power to bridge cultures and illuminate the universality of the human experience, while fostering respect for our common humanity.

One of LIFF's core missions is to select cutting-edge, thought-provoking independent films that reflect the most impactful societal issues of the day. 

SS/SAB