Three Tehran documentaries and two Iranian ju apprentices are attending the 56th Vision Durair ongoing in Nayon, Switzerland.
The Iranian film, taking part in the “Cutting Through the Rock” by Sepideh Jamshidi Nejad “In the Sun” by Mohammadreza Eyni and Sara Khaki and the “Higher than Acid Clouds” event by Ali Asgari, is reported to be the various sections in which Elaheh Nobakht and Mohammad Rezaeian appeared in various sections of the festival.
“Cutting the Rock” tells the story of Sarah Sherverdi, the first elected council member of her village. She aims to break the long-standing patriarchal tradition by training teenage girls to ride motorcycles and stopping their children’s marriage. When the accusations arise, her identity falls into confusion when she questioned Sara’s intention to empower the girl.
The 94-minute film, co-produced by Iran, Germany, the US, Qatar, the Netherlands, Chile and Canada, won the World Cinema Documentary Award at the Sundance Film Festival.
“Inner Sun” depicts the choking fevers in a remote salt mine where six elderly women work seasonally. Their hands and faces are weathered by years of labor, but their resolve remains unshakable.
The 28-minute film is a collective portrait of resilience and quiet strength, offering a glimpse into the rhythms of these women’s everyday lives and how harsh environments shape their existence and soul.
In “Higher than the Acid Cloud,” the rebellious filmmaker is forced to confront the work of his life through a surreal journey of imagination.
This year’s edition of festivals invites respected film personalities and experts to present festival awards to filmmakers who stand out for their uniqueness and ambitions.
Elaheh Nobakht is a producer of Iranian films and is renowned for her achievements in the production and distribution of international films. She is one of the ju apprentices in the National Section of Vision Durail.
Her portfolio, which includes seven feature films and two short films, has earned her recognition at prestigious festivals such as Berlin, IDFA, and Hot Docs.
Her notable works include The Gate of Dreams (Berlin 2023), The Apple Day (Berlinale 2022), Silent House (IDFA 2022), Holy Bread (IDFA 2020, Hot Docs 2021, Zagrebdox 2021), and Beloved (IDFA, Berlinale, Hot Docs;
She also distributed Iran’s official Oscar entry, “Finding Farideh,” in 2020. He also served as a ju judge at several international film festivals and received prestigious acclaim, including the Producer Network Award for Promising Young Producers at Cannes Marché Du Film (Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2022). In 2025, she was named Berlin Talent.
Since 2018, as CEO of ELI Image, Nobakht has played a pivotal role in global film production and distribution. She is also a board member of the Iranian Producers Association (IPA) and a member of the Iranian Documentary Producers Association (AOIDP). Currently, she is working on four feature films in collaboration with France, Norway and Germany.
Mohammad Rezaian is another Iranian ju apprentice in the ju apprentice of the interfaith section of the festival.
Born in Tehran, Lezaean grew up in Berlin, Tehran and Bern, where he studied Bern and business law in Tehran. He works with a variety of cultures in the East and West as a bridge, cross-cultural translator, lawyer and project manager builder, and connects people and cultures.
His main topics are economic analysis, legal implementation, and the development of culturally appropriate implementations in new market openings. Through his interest in literature and film, which vibrates between Descartes’ rationalism and Rumi’s love, he tries to better understand himself and other cultures and unite people.
Visions du Réel (Visions of Reality) is an internationally renowned documentary film festival held every April in Nayon, Switzerland.
Founded in 1969 as the Nayon International Documentary Film Festival, the event took its current name in 1995 and is Switzerland’s largest documentary festival.
For more than 50 years, Visions du Reel has shown bold and singular works that infuse realities of the past, present or future.
Over the course of ten days, the festival will turn into a focus where several generations of filmmakers and artists from around the world find a loyal audience on their voyage of discovery.
It is recognized worldwide as one of the leading festivals specializing in non-fiction filmmaking, and presents most of the film as a global or international premiere, making it an essential platform for creation for the thousands of film experts who come across it each year.
This year’s festival edition, which began on April 4th, ends on April 13th and will award recipients from various sections.
SS/SAB