The film will go on screen in the Panorama section of the festival where celebrated directors and award-winning films from major international film festivals take part.
“Sun Children” has been selected to represent Iran during the 93rd Academy Awards in the best foreign-language film category.
The movie tells the story of 12-year-old Ali and his three friends. Together, they work hard to survive and support their families, doing small jobs in a garage and committing petty crimes to make fast money. Everything changes, however, when Ali is entrusted to find a hidden treasure underground but must first enroll at the Sun School, a charitable institution that tries to educate street kids and child laborers.
The film had its Iranian premiere during the 38th Fajr Film Festival in Tehran in February, garnering the Crystal Simorghs for best film, script and set design.
Numerous international events, including the 77th Venice Film Festival, have also screened the movie. The festival honored the film’s star Ruhollah Zamani with the Marcello Mastroianni Award.
The 33rd International Film Festival for Children and Youth in Isfahan also awarded Majidi as best director and Zamani as best actor.
The 8th Ajyal Film Festival in the Qatari capital of Doha is scheduled to open with a screening of “Sun Children” on November 18.
“Another Round” by Thomas Vinterberg from Denmark, “A Balance” by Yujiro Harumoto from Japan, “Never Gonna Snow Again” by Malgorzata Szumowska and Michal Englert from Poland, “First Cow” by Kelly Reichardt from the U.S., and “My Little Sister” by Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond from Switzerland are among the films competing in the Panorama section of the festival in Macao.
Source: Tehran Times