According to the Public Relations Department of the public relations of Documentary & Experimental Film Center (DEFC), the closing ceremony of the 17th International Documentary Film Festival of Iran, "Cinema Verite," concluded, and the winners were announced.

 

International Section Awards:

  • The Honorary Diploma for the International Short Documentary Section and a cash prize of $500 were awarded to the film "Stone Ceiling" directed by Roya Rabani from Iran.
  • The Honorary Diploma for the International Short Documentary Section and a cash prize of $500 were awarded to the film "Pourezal" directed by Ehsan Farrokhifard and Maria Maavati from Iran.
  • The Honorary Plaque and Festival Trophy, along with a cash prize of $1000, for the Best International Short Documentary went to the film "Vibrations from Gaza" directed by Rehab Nazzal.
  • The Honorary Diploma for the Semi-Feature Documentary Section went to the film "The Wise Mother 'Mevlude Genc" directed by Sevinc Yılmaz Taş from Turkey.
  • The Honorary Plaque and Festival Trophy, along with a cash prize of $1500, for the Best International Semi-Feature Documentary were awarded to the film "Kalashnikov Society" directed by Christophe Karabache.
  • The Special Jury Prize, along with a cash prize of $500, for a film in production was awarded to the film "Under Construction" directed by Markus Toivo from Finland.
  • The Special Jury Prize for the Semi-Feature Documentary, along with an Honorary Plaque and a cash prize of $500, went to the film "Romantic Harmony" directed by Azar Mehrabi from Iran.
  • The Festival Honorary Plaque, along with a cash prize of $500, for the International Feature Documentary Section was awarded to the film "The Vladimir Central" directed by Julia Bobkova from Russia.
  • The Festival Honorary Plaque, along with a cash prize of $500, as the Special Jury Prize for the Feature Documentary went to the film "El Clasico Star" directed by Hadi Shariati.
  • The Festival Honorary Plaque and Trophy, along with a cash prize of $2000, for the Best International Feature Documentary were awarded to the film "The Golden Thread" directed by Nishtha Jain from India.

 

Martyr Avini Award:

  • The Bronze Martyr Avini Trophy, along with a cash prize of 400 million IRR (Iranian Rials), was awarded to the film "Restless" directed by Mohammad Ali Farsi.
  • The Silver Avini Martyr Avini Trophy, along with a cash prize of 450 million IRR, was awarded to the film "Ahmad" directed by Mostafa Rezaei Karimi.
  • The Golden Avini Martyr Avini Trophy, along with a cash prize of 500 million IRR, was awarded to the film "Strongheart" directed by Ali Farahani Sadar.

 

Young Iran Award:

  • The Iranian Youth Award was given to the film "Breath" directed by Alireza Baghshani.
  • The Strategic Studies Center of the Presidential Office awarded a cash prize of 450 million IRR to the film "Silent Crisis" directed by Mohammad Hossein Haghighi.

 

National Competition Awards:

  • Best Director of Short Documentary: The Trophy and a cash prize of 400 million IRR were awarded to the directors of the short documentary "Pourezal" (Ehsan Farrokhifard and Maria Maavati).
  • Best Director of Semi-Feature Documentary: The Trophy and a cash prize of 450 million IRR for the best director of the semi-feature documentary "Seven Years Here" directed by Seyed Mostafa Alhosseini.
  • Best Researcher: The Trophy and a cash prize of 350 million IRR for the best research went to the documentary "Azarabadegan" directed by Hamed Koljei.
  • Best Speech Text Writer: The Trophy and a cash prize of 350 million IRR for the best speech text writer went to "Duel Bookamal" written by Mohammad Reza Abolhasani.
  • Best Narrator of Speech Text: The Trophy and a cash prize of 350 million IRR for the best narrator of the speech text went to "May 1968" narrated by deceased Naser Tahmasb.
  • Best Sound: The Trophy and a cash prize of 350 million IRR for the best sound went to "Dam Water" directed by Hassan Mahdavi.
  • Best Music: The Trophy and a cash prize of 350 million IRR for the best music went to the soundtrack of "The Last Whale Shark" by Akbar Ebrahimi.
  • Best Editing: The Trophy and a cash prize of 350 million IRR for the best editing went to "Duel Bookamal" edited by Hassan Vazirzadeh, Sasan Fallahfar, and Abbas Vahaj.
  • Best Cinematography: The Trophy and a cash prize of 350 million IRR for the best cinematography were awarded jointly to the films "The Last Whale Shark" (by Ramtin Balf and Rashad Balf) and "Pourezal" (by Mehdi Azadi).

 

Special Jury Awards:

  • The Special Jury Prize, along with a cash prize of 400 million IRR, was awarded to the film "Strongheart" directed by Ali Farahani Sadar.
  • The Special Jury Prize, along with a cash prize of 400 million IRR, was awarded to the film "Mountain Girl" directed by Jaber Badyad.

 

Water Crisis and Population Issue Focus Awards:

Considering the special focus of the Cinema Verite Festival on the water crisis and population issue, the jury highlighted the following recommended films:

  • "Dam Water" (Directed by Reza Akbarian Galeshkalai) - Water Theme
  • "Silent Crisis" (Directed by Mohammad Hossein Haghighi) - Population Theme
  • "In Refuge" (Directed by Habib Alvani) - Environmental Theme

 

Homeland Soldier Award (In the memory of Martyr Sardar Ghasem Soleimani):

  • The Homeland Soldier Award Trophy, along with a cash prize of 400 million IRR, was awarded to Mohammad Ali Farsi for the film "Restless."

 

Iranian Documentary Feature Film Awards:

  • The Trophy and a cash prize of 500 million IRR for the Best Director of the Documentary Feature Film were awarded to "The Khalaj Family" directed by Mostafa Haji Ghasemi and Maryam Elhamian.
  • The Turquoise Award and a cash prize of 600 million IRR for the Best Documentary Feature Film went to "Multiplicity in Captivity" produced by Mehdi Imani Shahmiri.

 

Festival Secretary's Special Awards:

  • The Trophy and a cash prize of 350 million IRR for the film "Resident" directed by Amir Mohammad Kouchakzadeh.
  • The Trophy and a cash prize of 350 million IRR for the film "Padegar" directed by Mohammad Reza Khoshfarman.
  • The Trophy and a cash prize of 350 million IRR for the character of Mr. Ahmad Ghavidel in the film "Strongheart (Ghavidel)."

 

New Talent Award:

  • The Trophy and a cash prize of 350 million IRR for the film "Berar Ensiyeh" directed by Seyed Sadeq Kazemi.
  • The Trophy and a cash prize of 350 million IRR for the producer of the film "Strongheart" Saeed Elahi.

 

Audience's Choice Award:

  • The Best Film from the Audience's Perspective was awarded to the documentary "Strongheart."

 

The 17th Cinema Verite International Festival, under the direction of Mohammad Hamidi Moghaddam, held from December 18 to 23 at Tehran’s Charsou Cineplex.