Tehran – Amir Azitzi’s Iranian feature film “Inside Amir,” which follows a young man in Tehran on the crisis of migration, won the top prize, Best Director at the 2025 edition of the Venice era, or at Giornate Degli Autori, an independent parallel section of the Venice Film Festival.
The top awards in the section are awarded 20,000 euros ($23,000). This will be split equally between filmmakers and international distributors of film, Isna reported.
The ju-described to Amir is called “meditation in everyday life,” and adds: “It reminds me of how everyday life, movements and conversations with friends provide both safety and freedom.
“It’s a film that takes time to listen, and it shows how unexpected spontaneous encounters build a rich life. The precise dialogue and staging of the film gives a strong presence. Often when riding the same bike,” the ju judge concluded.
The ju apprentice at Venice Days was led by Norwegian writer and director Doug Johann Haugaldo and included Italian producer Francesca Andreoli, French-Palestinian film director Lina Souarem, New York MOMA film curator Josh Siegel, and Tunisian cinematographer Sojuan El Fani.
“In the midst of scattered memories, unfinished conversations and slow days of movement, he is faced with decisions that have not yet been entirely true. “The only thing he refuses to part ways is his bike. A symbol of his past and his companions passing through the city streets.”
According to Ajitsi, “The film shakes between the past and present – friendship, late-night anxiety, and city amir are still tied together. It is a quiet meditation on the emotional distance between staying and leaving.
“The film is rooted in personal experience, but aims to speak in a universal cinematic language. It depicts a young man floating in a city full of memories, loneliness, and quiet transformation. I am drawn to poetry of ordinary life.
“Instead of focusing on plots and dialogue, the film explores existence, space, and human vulnerability. I wanted to observe reality without judgment or spectacle – just the gaze of a patient who trusts the audience’s sensitivity.
“Inside Amir” is not a statement of migration, identity, or politics. It is a human story about a floating person. “I believe that if the film is honest, even a stillness can connect deeply with the audience,” Ajitzi pointed out.
Amir Ajitsi, 41, began his career in film in 2003. He worked as an assistant to famous Iranian filmmakers and directors, including Keanush Ayali and Rakhshan Banietemad. He directed several short films, including The Idiot (2007), Two Cold Meals for One (2009), and Family Portrait (2009).
His documentaries Wolf (2012), Nature and Urban Iran (2013), and Home (2022) focused on local and environmental themes and received critical acclaim. His first feature, Comparity (2014), was screened at the Beijing International Film Festival and Med Film Festival in Rome, and won the Special Juju Award. His second feature, “Two Dogs” (2020), competed in Warsaw and won awards at Bangalore and other festivals.
SS/SAB