“Driving Lessons” runner-up at Hebden Bridge Film Festival

TEHRAN –(Iranart)- Iranian short “Driving Lessons” by Marzieh Riahi has won the Fox and Goose jury 2nd prize at the Hebden Bridge Film Festival in England.

The film is about Bahareh who, according to Iranian law, must have her traditional, chauvinistic husband accompany her driving lessons so she and her instructor will not be alone.

“Driving Lessons” has been screened in numerous international festivals, some of which have honored the short with awards.

It won the audience award at the 25th Aichi International Women’s Film Festival in Japan in September.

The film also received the award for best short narrative at the 21st Through Women’s Eyes International Film Festival (TWE) in Sarasota, Florida, the U.S. in March.

The Hebden Bridge Film Festival, which is annually organized in the market town of the Upper Calder Valley in West Yorkshire, was first scheduled to be held in March, however, it was postponed to September 25 to 27 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Peter David Properties jury prize for best short went to “We Are All Here” Hannah Currie from Scotland. The documentary explores what happens when Glasgow rapper Lumo takes his own life, and his family and friends uncover hidden messages in the lyrics and video diaries he left behind.

The audience award was presented to “Joy Uncensored” by Natasha Hawthornthwaite from the UK. It is a documentary about when 63-year-old Joy France takes on the male-dominated rap battling world by going head to head in her first rap battle competition.

The winning movies along with some entries, including “Jaybirds” by Jess Wheeler, “The Gods of Tiny Things” by Deborah Kelly, “Seven Planets” by Milda Baginskaite, “Stripey Socks” by Michelle Bailey and “Dominique” co-directed by Tatiana Issa and Guto Barra, are being screened online by the organizers in a program, which has been underway since November 19. 

source: Tehran Times