Farhang Foundation Iranian Short Film Festival
By Christopher Ian Lutz @christopher_ian_lutz/
Six finalists will be featured during the 9th Annual Farhang Foundation Short Film Festival at UCLA's Schoenberg Hall. Following the screenings will be a ceremony hosted by Iranian American comedian and actress Melissa Shoshahi. The top three winners will be announced and awarded prizes, but more importantly, each of the six finalists will gain international recognition while sharing Iranian art and culture with audiences around the world.
The six films:
In Halva, directed by Vandad Fallah, an artistic couple reflects on a single symbol that can define the vastness of Iranian culture.
Leaving and Passing, directed by Aliyar Rasti, is a music video for the band Bomrani, which visually narrates isolation and connection as fluctuating experiences in life, be it the individual or a group of people.
In another music video, Nemidani, by Payam Ghorbani for the band Shirazis, set in the traditional Qajar era interprets the human experience in its richness of contradictions — love, hate, violence, and peace.
The Orangish Tree, directed by Amir Houshang Moein, sends an optimistic message of healing through the innocence of a child, which is visually complemented by the soft imagery of animation.
Shedding Skin, directed by Sam Javadi, is a dance performance that peels away the layers of identity.
Strappa, directed by Sepideh Salehi and Kamran Taherimoghaddam, is an interplay between men playing the traditional tombak drum and women tearing sheets of fabric, which creates statements about the gender roles in society, as well as a statement against traditionalism and modernism.
In a competition such as this knowing about the jurors is also an important way to learn about Iranian art and culture and make great reference points to further investigate beyond the festival. This year’s jurors are:
Mark Amin, CEO of Sobini Films and former Vice Chairman of Lionsgate Entertainment.
Homayoun Ershadi, the acclaimed Iranian actor and star of Abbas Kiarostami's masterpiece, Taste of Cherry as well as Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty and critically acclaimed drama The Kite Runner.
Soheila Golestani, the star of such critically acclaimed films as Today and We Have a Guest, as well as the director of the powerful drama Two.
Behtash Sanaeeha, groundbreaking director of Risk of Acid Rain.
Roya Teymourian, the award-winning theater and film actress and star of such notable films as Women’s Prison and the arresting and emotional drama Hadji Sha.
Farhang Foundation Iranian Short Film Festival
Saturday, September 30, 2017
6:00 pm - 10:00 pm, Schoenberg Music Building - Schoenberg Hall
