Tehran – Four films by Iranian filmmakers have been selected by the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) to attend the 73rd edition, which will be held in Melbourne, Australia from August 7th to 24th.
The event reported Sepideh Parsi’s “Get Your Soul and Walk,” Sarah Khaki and Mohammadreza Eini’s “Cutting Through the Rocks,” Sayed Rustay’s “Women and Children,” and Mariam Tafakori’s “Razé Del” are Iranian films.
The documentary “Put Your Soul and Your Walk” is about life in Gaza during ongoing Israeli military action.
The 112-minute French/Palestinian film is the reaction of Iranian filmmakers to the ongoing massacre of Palestinians. Falsi believes that a miracle happened when he met Fatima Hassona. She became eyes in Gaza and resisted while recording the war, and Falsi became a connection between her and the world from her “Gaza Prison” as she named it.
They kept this life for almost a year. The sound and pixel bits they exchanged became a movie. Fatima’s murder on April 16th changes its meaning forever with an Israeli attack on her home.
The Iranian documentary “Coting Strocks” tells the story of Sara Shahverdi, 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 95-minute film, co-produced by Iran, Germany, the US, Qatar, the Netherlands, Chile and Canada, won the World Film Documentary Grand Jue Award at the Sundance Film Festival’s World Film Documentary Competition earlier this year.
In “Cutting Through the Rock,” the director offers a deep, intimate, quietly rebellious portrait of resistance and resilience. Their debut feature documentary follows Sarah Sharverdi, the first elected councillor in a rural village in Iran.
At the heart of the film is Sherverdi himself. He is an incredible pioneer who drives cars through dusty village roads, teaches teenage girls how to ride a motorbike, and teaches a campaign against the still average practice of child marriage. The handheld, unrespectful camera stays close to her and does not interfere, but always brings attention to the emotional and political weight of her daily struggles. This raw, observational approach gives the film a quiet force and cumulative tension.
Sarah’s charisma and pure willpower drive the story forward. As she inspires girls to stay in school, dreams of a medical, educational, or engineering career, and control their lives, her vision becomes a faint sloppy of hope in an otherwise suffocating social landscape. But her journey is not smooth. She surrounds her with doubt and resentment. Sarah’s own identity is scrutinized and ultimately attacked as the suspicion questions her intentions with the young girl.
Loustay’s fourth feature film, “Woman and Child,” is described as a modern-day family drama of revenge and forgiveness. The film stars Parinaz Isadier as a single mother who balances nursing work with raising children. When she plans a wedding to Hamid, her son’s school expulsion is the least of her worries when an unexpected tragedy is forced to fight for what is right for her.
Payman Maadi, Hassan Pourshirazi, Soha Niasti, Fereshteh Sadre Orafaee, Maziar Seyedi and Sahar Goldoost are also featured in the cast.
The short film “Razeh Del” is co-produced by Iran, Italy and the UK. The 2024 film, 27 minutes, is two girls who sent a letter to the first women’s newspaper in Iran in 1998, titled “Zan.” While waiting for publication, they thought of making an impossible film. Using quotation and image interventions, “Razeh del” travels through the parallel history of war on the image of women.
Miff’s 73-year history has contributed greatly to Melbourne’s status as a cultural city. Miff contributes to our Melbourne community with its continued commitment to the collective festival experience that is open to all. The audience comes to MIFF for bold, diverse and adventurous programming. There is joy in sharing film experiences and trying to discover new things about oneself and the world.
The 2025 programme consists of films that hone the audience’s minds into urgent issues around the world, as well as other films that are far from the real-life look.
Between over 250 features and short films, there are stories from every corner of the world. This program features mirrors in our world. Miff is a safe and cozy place for everyone, including viewers, visiting guests, filmmakers, staff and volunteers, and is committed to providing a vast programme to suit the tastes of all film enthusiasts.
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