FEMALE IRANIAN FILM DIRECTOR TRIUMPH IN CAIRO
CAIRO 22 Oct. (IPS) The Iranian film "The Hidden Half" by Ms. Tahmineh Milani was awarded the special prize for artistic contribution by the nine judges who were led by Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami.
It portrays the memories of a married woman in love with a rebel from a
leftist counter-revolutionary group during the early years of the Islamic
republic and who is later sentenced to death.
The Iranian authorities detained Ms. Milani briefly at the end of August after they objected to her film.
Her latest work has been widely applauded and won high praise in Arab newspapers after its screening in the festival which opened on October 9, said Jordanian reviewer Najeh Hassan.
Belgian director Lieven Debrauwer's story of a simple-minded elderly woman's battle to win the affections of her sister in "Pauline et Paulette" won the Golden Pyramid prize for best film at the 25th Cairo International Film Festival on Saturday.
Second prize went to the Romanian film "God Kisses Us on the Mouth Everyday" by Sinisa Dragin, who also took home best director for a tale of God's role in the troubled personal life of a convict.
The Naguib Mahfouz Prize for best first film went to Tjebbo Penning of the Netherlands for his film "Morlang," while American Cameron Crowe took best script for "Almost Famous."
Dutchman Paul Freemon was awarded best actor for his portrayal of an art photographer confronted with his past in the darkly stylish "Morlang."
Best actress went to Iran's Niki Karimi for "The Hidden Half."
The Egyptian film "Memories of a Teenager" by Innas Al-Deghaidi was awarded the prize for best Arabic film.
"Lethal Weapon" star Danny Glover turned down an invitation to be guest of honour at the festival because of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States and had been due to receive its lifetime achievement award.
Eighteen films from 44 countries were in competition at the 25th annual festival, which showed a total of 167. ENDS MILANI FESTIVAL 221001