Iran Press/ Iran news: 'Like a Fish on the Moon', the feature debut of Iranian writer-director Dornaz Hajiha has won the Transilvania Trophy for best feature film at this year’s festival, marking the first time in the event’s 22-year history that Transilvania International Film Festival’s top award went to a female director.
The film follows new parents who are forced to adapt when their apparently healthy son suddenly stops talking.
“The film we have chosen impressed us for the originality of its premise, the power of its performances, and the intelligence with which it explored very difficult subject matter,” Mexican filmmaker Michel Franco, the jury president said in a statement. H added: "The director demonstrated great attention to detail and an impressive, singular vision. We were also impressed by the script, which captured the often conflicting pressures of parenthood, and the brutality of devotion. It is a film that resonated long after it ended."
In addition, the film’s star Sepidar Tari was selected as the best actress.
She received the award for her portrayal of Haleh, a woman who along with her husband, Amir, are having to cope with a tough situation: their four-year-old son Ilya has suddenly stopped talking. There is evidently no physiological cause, so they go to see a psychotherapist who comes up with a radical solution. Ilya’s mother, who has cared for him until now, is to take a back seat while the father assumes her role of looking after the child. This change in the established order sends the family into a downward spiral of tension and aggression, and it’s extremely difficult to see a way out.
The closing ceremony of the festival held at the National Theater in Cluj-Napoca was attended by special guests Australian actor Geoffrey Rush, American director Oliver Stone and Mexican director Michel Franco.
Carolina Markowicz was named best director for her Brazilian drama “Charcoal”, while “Carbon” by Ion Bors from Moldova won the audience award.
The Finnish film “Family Time” by Tia Kouvo won the special jury award.
The award for best actor went to Nacho Quesada for his role in “The Barbarians”, a co-production between Spain and France by Andrew Sala.
“Anhell69” directed by Theo Montoya was picked as the best documentary.
A co-production by Colombia, Romania, France, and Germany, the film follows a funeral car cruising the streets of Medellin, while a young director tells the story of his past in this violent and conservative city. He remembers the pre-production of his first film, a Class-B movie with ghosts.
The festival also honored Australian actor Geoffrey Rush with a lifetime achievement award.
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