“Rule of Accident” wins best film Crystal Simorgh in Fajr intl. competition

“The Rule of Accident”, an Iranian family drama, has won the Crystal Simorgh for best film in the international section of the 31st Fajr International Film Festival.
Director/producer Behnam Behzadi received the award during the closing ceremony of the section at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on Monday evening.

Behzadi also won a Crystal Simorgh for best director.

The film is about the relationship between the members of a theater troupe, which is rehearsing for a play, and their parents.

Amir Jafari, Omid Rohani, Ashkan Khatibi, Sorush Sehhat, Mehrdad Sediqian, Neda Jebraeili and Roshanak Gerami are among the cast of the film.

The best actor award went to Oliver Litondo for his role in “The First Grader” directed by Justin Chadwick from England, and his compatriot Emili Watson won the best actress award for “Oranges and Sunshine” directed by Jim Loach.

The Crystal Simorgh for best Asian film stayed at home as Iranian filmmaker Bahram Tavakolli won the prize for “Shallow Yellow Sky”.

The film tells the story of a young couple who decide to review their memories. Some problems arise as a result.

Taraneh Alidusti, Saber Abar, Saeid Changizian and Sahar Dolatshahi star in the film.

Ukrainian director Eva Neymann was honored with the Special Jury Award for “House with a Turret”, and Chinese writer Zhenyun Liu won the best screenwriter awards for “Back to 1942”.

Cameraman Peyman Shademanfar was presented with the best artistic and technical achievements award for the Iranian film “Shallow Yellow Sky”.

Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini, Iran Cinema Organization Director Javad Shamaqdari and several filmmakers and officials attended the ceremony.

The Iranian competition section of the festival, which is Iran’s most important event in the motion picture industry, runs until February 10.