Moscow Film Festival; From Reza Mirkarimi to Fariborz Kamkari

The Moscow International Film Festival, which last year showcased its admiration for Iranian cinema by awarding its top prize to Reza Mirkarimi's film "Daughter," has this year reaffirmed the presence and impact of Iranian filmmakers by inviting Mirkarimi as the head of the jury. This year's festival, marking its thirty-ninth edition, is chaired by prominent Russian filmmaker Nikita Mikhalkov and has become a more serious festival in recent years by showcasing hundreds of films from around the world. In the competition section, thirteen films will compete this year. "Star Boys" by Visa Koizumi Cantilla from Finland examines the sexual revolution and its impact on a village in Finland through two families, while "Summer Buds" by Ryotaro Nakagawa tells the story of a woman's decision about revealing her secret three years after her boyfriend's death. "Dark Land" by Fannar Ahmad from Denmark narrates the story of a happy man who decides to take revenge after his brother is murdered by criminal groups. Besides the Russian films showcased in sections like the Russian Cinema Review, three films from this country are also competing; among them is "Buy Me" by Vadim Perelman, which tells the story of a girl seeking fame who goes to the UAE to become a model, and "Endless Bag" by Rustam Khamdamov, which takes place during Tsar Alexander's era and features a woman recounting a thirteenth-century story about a prince mysteriously murdered in the forest. Ornella Muti (Italy), Jörn Donner (Finland), Albert Serra (Spain), Alexander Adabashian (Russia), and Brigitte Monti (Germany) will join Mirkarimi in judging this section. The acclaimed Iranian short film "Routosh" by Kaveh Mazaheri will also participate in the short film competition. This film, which has received acclaim in Iran and won the Best Short Film award at the Fajr Film Festival as well as the House of Cinema award, has also been praised at global festivals such as Tribeca and Krakow. The film tells the story of a woman named Maryam who makes a strange decision at the moment of her husband's death and does not help him. Carlo Di Palma and the Iranian Filmmaker When discussing the greatest cinematographers in film history, Carlo Di Palma's name undoubtedly comes to mind. Now, Fariborz Kamkari, a filmmaker from Sanandaj, has produced an intriguing documentary about this brilliant cinematographer titled "Water and Sugar, Carlo Di Palma, Colors of Life," which will be screened at the Moscow Festival. This film explores Di Palma's life and art from various angles and captures a memorable and striking image of his condition. The film, made with the collaboration of the Italian-born cinematographer's wife, who passed away in 2004, presents a complete portrait of the beloved cinematographer of Michelangelo Antonioni (Red Desert and Blow-Up) through numerous interviews and archival footage. Woody Allen explains in the film how after watching Blow-Up he realized he needed this cinematographer and eventually began their collaboration in the brilliant film "Hannah and Her Sisters," which continued for years. In addition to the main competition sections for feature films, short films, and documentaries, the Moscow Festival has several other sections, each dedicated to a specific theme or country. Indian cinema is one of these sections, and North Korean cinema is another; it seems that to maintain balance, a special section has also been dedicated to South Korea to review the works of one of its filmmakers (J.K. Yoon). In the "Eight and a Half" section, various films from around the world are featured, including the latest work by Kim Ki-duk titled "Tour." The "Women’s Period" section is dedicated exclusively to female filmmakers, while the "Russian Footprint" section includes various films made worldwide about Russia or its citizens in other countries. In the restored films section, Andrei Tarkovsky's acclaimed film "Mirror" and several films by renowned Russian filmmaker Andrei Konchalovsky will be screened. The Moscow International Film Festival will continue until Thursday, June 29 (July 8).