“Malaria” named best at Russian film festival

TEHRAN –(Iranart)- Iranian director Parviz Shahbazi’s “Malaria” was crowned best at the 10th East and West, Classics and Avant-Garde International Film Festival in Orenburg, Russia, the organizers announced on Thursday.

In his acceptance speech at the closing ceremony of the festival, producer Masud Radai dedicated the award to Mohsen Hojaji, an Iranian soldier who was killed by Daesh forces in Syria last month.

Saghar Qana’at also was picked as best actress for her role in the film. Qana’at could not attend the closing ceremony and a member of the cast Azarakhsh Farahani received the award on her behalf.

“Malaria” tells the story of a young woman who elopes with her boyfriend to spend her time in the company of a band of street musicians in Tehran. Afterwards, she plans to hoodwink her father and brothers by claiming that she has been kidnapped and wants them to promptly send the ransom money.

Bakyt Mukul and Dastan Zhapar Uulu from Kyrgyzstan received the award for best director for their film “A Father’s Will”. 

Wojciech Urbanski received the best actor award for his role in “Kharms”, a joint production of Russia and Lithuania by Ivan Bolotnikov. 
    
“Malaria” has been acclaimed at several international events. 

The 32nd Warsaw Film Festival honored the film with the grand prix for best film in 2016. It also was named best film at the 12th International Oriental Film Festival of Geneva (FIFOG) this year in April.  

The film was also screened at several international festivals including the Horizon section of the 73rd Venice International Film Festival and the 52nd Chicago International Film Festival in 2016 and the 20th Shanghai International Film Festival in June of this year.