“The Maritime Silk Road” tops at Kish filmfest

The movie also brought a best director award to its director Mohammad Bozorgnia.

“The Maritime Silk Road” is about a man called Soleiman Siraf who, according to historical documents, was the first sailor to cross the Indian Ocean to China. His route was later called the maritime Silk Road and many merchants took that route to ship their merchandise to China.

A group of officials and artists attended the closing ceremony adding more credits to the festival which took place on the Persian Gulf Island from April 24 to 28.

Actors and directors Niki Karimi, Abolhassan Davudi, Mohammadreza Sharifinia, Sorayya Qasemi, Puran Derakhshandeh along with Presidential Office Chief of Staff Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaii and Deputy Culture Minister for Cinematic Affairs Javad Shamaqdari were spotted among the invited participants.

Over 2000 titles found ways into the Iranian competition section, out of which 266 went on screen in the different sections of feature, video, short, and documentary.

A total of 29 foreign films were screened at the international section coming from India, Turkey, Azerbaijan Republic, Armenian Republic, Russia, Great Britain, Canada, South Korea, Japan, France and several other countries.

Other programs during the festival included tributes paid to veteran actor Ali Nasirian and directors Masud Jafari-Jozani and Farajollah Salahshur.

The following is the list of winners in different Iranian competition sections.

Feature

* Best Actor: Amir Aqaii “Second Wife”.

* Best Actress: Niki Karimi “Second Wife”.

* Best Director: Ebrahim Foruzesh “Hamun and Darya”.

Fiction

* Best Film: “End of the Earth” by producer Masud Atyabi.

* Best Actor: Hojjatollah Qazvini “End of the Earth”.

Iranian Cinema Competition Section

* Best Actor: Masud Rayegan “Golchehreh”.

* Best Actress: Ladan Mostofi “Golchehreh”.

* Best Screenplay: “Child of the Earth” by Mohammadreza Gohari and Mohammad-Ali Ahangar.

International Section

Feature

* Best Film: “Son of Babylon” by Mohamed Al-Daradji (Iraq).

* Best Director: Nosir Saidov for “True Noon” (Tajikistan).

* Best Screenplay: “Golchehreh” by Vahid Musaian (Iran).

* Best Actor: Joe Suba in “Opium War” Siddiq Barmak (Afghanistan).

* Jury Special Award: “Farewell Gulsary” by Ardak Amirkulov (Kazakhstan).

Documentary

* Best Film: “Return of the Poet” by Harutyun Khachatryan (Armenia).

* Best Research: Sahra Karimi “Afghan Women Behind the Wheel” (Afghanistan/Slovakia).

* Best Director: Mehdi Moniri “Tinar” (Iran).

* Jury Special Award: “Asku” by Mohammad-Ali Hashem Zehi.

Short

* Best film: “Mesopotamia” by Fenar Ahmed (Iraq).

Photo: Pegah Ahangarani (L) and Reza Kianian in