TEHRAN – Iranian filmmaker Mehrdad Oskouei’s documentary “A Fox Under a Pink Moon” has won the top prize at the 38th Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA), which is currently being held in the Netherlands.
ISNA reports that at the festival’s awards ceremony held on Thursday, “A Fox Under a Pink Moon” won the IDFA Award for Best Film in International Competition, with a cash prize of 15,000 euros.
The 76-minute documentary, a co-production between Iran, France, the UK, Denmark and the US, had its world premiere at the film festival and won its first international award.
The film follows 16-year-old Soraya as she creates astonishing paintings and sculptures that are as beautiful as they are already dark. This strong-willed Afghan sculptor and illustrator has been trying for five years to leave Iran and return to his mother in Austria.
“This film opens the door to the power of art and hope in the difficult times we live in,” the jury said in a statement.
“Through the stunning cinematography, often shot in dangerous conditions, and the luminous energy of the protagonist, a powerful collaboration between established filmmakers and young emerging artists allows her to reclaim her identity in exile and domestic violence, blossom despite oppression, and find solace through creation. A self-portrait that witnesses the growth of an Afghan artist, whose work will continue to resonate for years to come,” the jury added.
Mehrdad Oskouei directed the film entirely remotely, with Soraya filming all the footage over a five-year period using his own cell phone.
The material is interspersed with her drawings and surreal animated shots. For Soraya, creating art is more than just idle pastime. She pours all her worries, joys and fears into her paintings and sculptures made from soaked egg cartons and clay she finds along her routes. Many of her paintings feature recurring characters that Soraya identifies with, such as her faithful fox who is her traveling companion, the pink moon that always watches over her, and the clown who never smiles.
IDFA is a leading international documentary organization that connects filmmakers, artists, audiences and professionals from around the world and provides a space for exchange, collaboration and inspiration.
Its extensive scope includes a year-round documentary hub in Amsterdam’s Vondelpark, as well as film and new media release festivals, funding initiatives, markets, talent development and educational programs.
SS/SAB