“About Elly” brings Iran another Berlin Silver Bear
Iran’s Asghar Farhadi won the Silver Bear for the best director for “About Elly” at the 59th Berlin film festival.
The film, which tells the story of middle class Iranians whose trip to the Caspian Sea turns into a tragedy as they try to uphold their social customs, was warmly received by critics and filmgoers in the Berlinale.
“Thank God that if He didn’t help me I would never be here,” said Farhadi during his short speech after receiving his award from Hong-Kong-born director Wayne Wang, a jury member of the festival.
“I also reminisce about my people in Iran of whom you have a less than precise image,” he added.
He also thanked the organizers of the festival for their assistance in screening the film for non-Persian speakers during the festival.
“About Elly” also won Crystal Simorghs for best director for Farhadi at the 27th Fajr International Film Festival in Tehran last week while he was in Berlin to promote his film at the event.
Last year, Reza Naji won the Silver Bear prize for best actor at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival for his role in “The Song of Sparrows.”
Celebrated Iranian director Jafar Panahi has previously won the Silver Bear for the best director at the 2006 Berlinale.
The film was warmly received both by audiences and critics during several screenings in the Fajr Festival.
Following is a list of winners at the Berlin film festival:
Best Film: “The Milk of Sorrow” by Claudia Llosa (Peru)
Jury Grand Prix: “Everyone Else” by Maren Ade (Germany) and “Gigante” by Adrián Biniez (Uruguay)
Best Director: Asghar Farhadi for “About Elly” (Iran)
Best Actress: Birgit Minichmayr for “Everyone Else” (Germany)
Best Actor: Sotigui Kouyate for “London River” (Algeria, France, United Kingdom)
Best Screenwriter: Oren Moverman and Alessandro Camon for “The Messenger” (USA)
Other links:
Iranian film festival opens in New Delhi
IRIB to produce tele-theater on Saadi
Iranian Sparrows to fly to Vancouver
