Following last year’s successful focus on New Iranian Cinema by the countries new young directors we dedicate a whole day to Iranian Cinema in the wonderful Nia Centre. Come witness a selection of strong and powerful short films on Iranian culture, wonderful stories and unique ideas from the new emerging filmmakers of Iran. The day includes a wonderful new animation feature called The Last Fiction based on the Persian literary classic, THE SHAHNAMEH, plus visiting guest Iranian filmmakers and a live music performance.
Get Tickets here
Iran Shorts 1
There’s casual murder and sibling betrayal, maternal heartbreak and brutal bereavement, religious intolerance and social injustice, in this showcase of New Iranian Cinema.
Advisory Cert 15
Sunday 25th November at 2.00pm
NIAMOS sc.1 (Nia Cultural Centre), Chichester Road, Warwick St, Manchester M15 5EU (Please note also showing Iran Shorts 1 at University of Manchester, Thursday 29th)
RETOUCH
North West Premiere
Dir / Prod / Wri: Kaveh Mazaheri, Cast: Sonia Sanjari, Mohammad Ziksari, Hana Fooladifard
Iran, 2017, 19 min 30 sec, Cert 12
A photo retoucher has motive and opportunity to commit the perfect murder, by simple inaction. All she must do now is “retouch” a few potentially incriminating details…
FOR SALE
North West Premiere
Dir / Prod / Wri: Ali Banaiyan, Prod: Iranian Youth Cinema Society.
Iran, 2017, 14 min, Cert 15
A desperate woman moves to Tehran to sell her 40 day old child. Can she go through with it?
MANICURE
North West Premiere
Dir / Prod / Wri: Arman Fayaz, Cast: Nima Hassandokht, Mazaher Ramzanpour, Hamideh Barati, Ali Najafi
Iran, 2018, 14 min, Cert 15
A suicide lights a powder keg of cultural taboos and religious intolerance in an isolated village.
ZONA
UK Premiere
Dir / Prod / Wri: Toofan Nahanghodrati.
Iran, 2018, 20 min, Cert 15
An unfaithful husband faces a cruel betrayal of his own.
MAMAN SOORI’S CASE
UK Premiere
Dir / Prod / Wri: Hossein Hejrati.
Iran, 2016, 18 min 24 sec, Cert 12
Maman Soori makes her living by preparing homemade food, but she is starting to get forgetful and careless in her cooking…
SILENCE
North West Premiere
Dir / Prod: Mahdi Borjan, Wri: Yousef Hatamikia.
Iran, 2018, 10 min, Cert 12
Morteza lives a life of quiet routine. One day he gets a phonecall: “We found the body of your wife…”
TRT: 95 min 54 sec
Feature Animation + Shorts
While the work of such world class filmmakers as Jafar Panahi, Asghar Farhadi, the Makhmalbafs, and the late, great Abbas Kiarostami have put New Iranian Cinema well and truly on the map, Iranian animation remains rather less well known. In an attempt to redress that imbalance, we are delighted to be screening the first full-length Iranian animated feature, together with a couple of supporting short animations.
Advisory Cert 12A
Sunday 25th November at 5.30pm
NIAMOS sc.1 (Nia Cultural Centre)
THE LAST FICTION
North West Premiere
Dir / Wri: Ashkan Rahgozar, Prod: Ehsan Rasouluf, Lorianne Hall, Ehsan (Alireza) Rahgozar, Arman Rahgozar.
Iran, 2018, 100 min (12A)
Based on the Persian literary classic, THE SHAHNAMEH (The Book of Kings) by Ferdowsi, this is the story of the upstart ruler Zahak’s treacherous rise to the throne, by means of a Faustian pact with the demon Ahriman, and of Afaridoun, the naïve young hero who will save the kingdom and its people from darkness – provided he is able to overcome his own inner demons.
Supporting Programme
THE FOX
Manchester Premiere
Dir / Prod / Wri: Sadegh Javadi Nikjeh, Prod: Documentary & Experimental Film Center
Iran, 2018, 9 min 45 sec (PG)
A young fox is trapped by a hunter, who ties a dog collar with a bell around the fox’s neck. No longer able to hunt silently, the fox struggles to survive and to find love and revenge.
RUN ROSTAM RUN
Greater Manchester Premiere
Dir / Prod / Wri: Hossein Molayemi
Iran, 2017, 11 min 37 sec (PG)
Rostam, the historic Persian national hero must travel to contemporary Tehran in order to make up for what he has done to his own son. But can he fix things without breaking the law in some way?
TRT: 121 min 22 sec
Iran Shorts 2
There are family pressures and moral dilemmas, unexpected connections and shifting realities, a past that can’t be buried and a dark vision of the future. All this plus some truly malevolent junk food, in our second showcase of New Iranian Cinema.
Advisory Cert 15
Sunday 25th November at 8.00pm
NIAMOS sc.1 (Nia Cultural Centre), Chichester Road, Warwick St, Manchester M15 5EU
A SIMPLE DAY
European Premiere
Dir / Prod: Mahdi Borjian, Wri: Yousef Hatamikia
Iran, 2017, 19 min 42 sec, Cert 12A
A boy from a religious family decides to invite his girlfriend to their house in his parents’ absence – only to have them return unexpectedly…
HEDIEH
European Premiere
Dir / Wri: Sahar Sotoodeh, Prod: Ashkan Ashkani.
Iran, 2018, 15 min
14 year old Hedieh’s sudden disappearance from school leaves her best friend with a moral dilemma…
THE LABYRINTH
European Premiere
Dir / Prod / Wri: Shiva Nouri
Iran, 2017, 13 min 02 sec
Disparate people in a city park share an unexpected connection.
ATHENS
UK Premiere
Dir / Prod / Wri: Hossein Shaeri, Prod: Iranian Youth Cinema Society.
Iran, 2017, 14 min 23 sec
A young woman must decide whether to remain in Iran with her mother or accompany the man she is currently involved with to another country.
DUALITY
European Premiere
Dir / Prod: Sepideh Valinejad, Wri: Mohammad Ali Hosseini
Iran, 2017, 7 min 15 sec
Sometimes the past is very difficult to get rid of.
THE TREE
World Premiere
Dir: Hamidreza Darvish, Prod: Khateno Ad. Co., Wri: Erfan Azaramsa.
Iran, 2017, 15 min
A nature lover in search of solace experiences instead a terrifying vision of impending disaster.
POPCORN
Greater Manchester Premiere
Dir / Wri: Milad Farajollahi, Prod: Mostafa Nohekhan.
Iran, 2017, 12 min 21 sec
A young man finds himself the victim of a bizarre intruder.
TRT: 96 min 03 sec