The Dubai International Film Festival (Diff) and The Pavilion Downtown Dubai, a non-commercial contemporary art space, will together showcase the best of the new wave of contemporary cinema coming out of Iran this month.

Pioneering Iranian directors Maziar Miri and Morteza Farshbaf will present their films under "Focus on Iran" umbrella at the second edition of Diff Film Buzz to be held from September 24 to 26.

Inviting filmgoers to a special edition of Film Buzz this month, Diff said audiences will have the opportunity to participate in Q&A sessions with both directors.

The “Focus on Iran” programme co-curated and supported by Documentary Voices will hit The Pavilion screens on September 24 and run through to September 26.

Film Buzz screenings take place on the last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of each month. Entrance to the screenings is free of charge and operates on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Pavilion can accommodate up to 60 people per screening.

World-renowned German filmmaker Werner Herzog, along with many film critics from around the world have praised Iranian cinema as one of the world's most important artistic cinemas.

Iranian filmmakers have garnered international fame over the years and enjoy a global following with cultural and dynamic films that illustrate artistic brilliance and storytelling virtuosity, such as the phenomenal Iranian Drama, A Separation, that won a plethora of awards this year, including the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, the Golden Globe and Best Film at the Berlin Film Festival.
 
The line-up features “Felicity Land” (September 24 at 8pm) which tells the story of a young woman (Yasi), who has problems in her marriage with Mohsen. Yasi tries to save her marriage by throwing a birthday party for her husband to remind him of some past memories. She plans everything for a great party, but not all goes as she wishes.

Acclaimed director Maziar Miri will be on hand to take questions from the audience and discuss the film.

“The Mourning” (September 25 at 7.30pm) will be presented by director Farshbaf when he showcases the compelling predicaments and consequences a couple must face through the innocent eyes of their child in this unique feature.

It is a poignant story of a hearing-impaired couple suddenly left with the responsibility of caring for their nephew. While visiting her sister and brother-in-law, the boy’s mother and father argue in the middle of the night and drive away suddenly.
The following day, the boy searches for his parents with his aunt and uncle, who wonder where their guests have gone and why they would leave their son behind?

 “Focus on Iran” concludes with the self-imposed seclusion of a young taxi driver in Fardin Saheb Zamani’s “There are Things You Don’t Know”.
 
It is the story of a secluded taxi driver in Tehran which is awaiting an earthquake: he has chosen to distance himself from society and to be passive so as not to be hurt. He views the society’s incidents through cuts from the lives of his passengers.

Masoud Amralla Al Ali, the artistic director, Diff said, "Our “Focus on Iran” programme is an innovative showcase of fascinating films from a country with a long history of rich and diverse storytelling."

"We are pleased to welcome Miri and Farshbaf to present their inspirational and innovative films for new audiences to enjoy and exchange opinions during our Q&A sessions," he added.-TradeArabia News Service