Thiruvananthapuram: The 15th International Documentary and Short Film Festival (IDSFFK) will open with ‘Seven Winters in Tehran’, which narrates the story of Rayhaneh Jabbari, an Iranian woman who was compelled to kill a man during a rape attempt, on August 4.
This gripping Persian documentary, directed by the German filmmaker Steffi Niederzel, which won the Compass-Perspective Award at this year’s Berlin Film Festival, has also garnered attention at the London and Copenhagen Film Festivals.
The film follows the life of Reyhaneh Jabbari, a courageous 19-year-old woman who was sentenced to death. The documentary is based on real-life events, including secret videos provided by Reyhaneh’s family and letters written by her in prison. It sheds light on the entrenched misogyny within the justice system.
It portrays a chilling narrative that exposes the disturbing cycle perpetuated by the oppressive Iranian government of silencing and taking the lives of women.
‘Seven Winters in Tehran’ retraces Reyhaneh’s fate and her family’s, especially her mother Shole Pakravan’s fight for justice. It showcases the indomitable spirit that makes them a symbol of resistance and a powerful advocate for women’s rights, not only within Iran’s borders but also beyond.
Zar Amir Ebrahimi, the Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival 2022, gave voice to Reyhaneh in the documentary. The documentary will be screened at 6 pm at Kairali Theatre.
The IDSFFK is being organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of the Kerala Cultural Affairs Department. About 300 films will be screened during the six-day-long festival at Kairali, Sree, and Nila theatres in Thiruvananthapuram.
The screening will be held in competition categories and focus categories, including long documentaries, short documentaries, short fiction, animation, music videos, campus films, jury films, and homage, among others.
In the Homage category, Cinematographer Navroz Contractor, Czech-French novelist Milan Kundera, director and social activist K P Sasi, Artist Namboothiri, documentary filmmaker and social activist Chandita Mukherjee, and painter and contemporary artist Vivan Sundaram will be honoured for their excellence in film and art.
The lifetime achievement award, which recognises overall contributions to the field of documentary filmmaking, will be presented to prominent director and social activist Deepa Dhanraj.
The award comprises two lakh rupees, a memento, and a certificate. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will present the awards on August 9, the festival’s last day.
Online delegate registration can be done through the website www.idsffk.in to participate in the festival. The delegate fee is Rs 590, inclusive of GST, for the general category and Rs 354 for students. Registration can also be done offline through the delegate cell set up at Kairali Theatre.
