“A Hero” picks “Paytakht” star Tanabandeh, “Lost Strait” actor Jadidi

TEHRAN – (Iranart)- Oscar-winning Iranian director Asghar Farhadi has hired Mohsen Tanabandeh, the star of the popular Iranian TV series “Paytakht”, and Amir Jadidi, the actor of the acclaimed war drama “The Lost Strait”, for the cast of his new project “A Hero”.

The duo is the sole professional members of the cast, a public relations team of the project announced on Tuesday.

Shooting will begin on location in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz in July. 

Farhadi’s plans to make “A Hero” were announced in February.

Paris-based Memento Films International started the worldwide sales of the film, which is in the Persian language, during the European Film Market in Berlin in February.

“We are proud to propose a brilliant, new film project by great director Asghar Farhadi,” said Alexandre Moreau, VP Sales and Marketing at Memento, which has sold five films by Farhadi.

“He is a consistent director, and a master of suspense which always draws audiences to theaters. The script is absolutely fascinating and tackles many contemporary issues of our modern societies,” he added.

Starring Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem, Farhadi’s previous film “Everybody Knows” was filmed in Spain.

Farhadi’s “The Salesman” and “A Separation”, both in his native language, won him Oscars for best foreign-language film. “A Separation” also received a best screenplay Oscar nomination. 

The movies grossed $23 million worldwide and more than $7 million in the U.S.

source: Tehran Times