This year, SGIFF is set to pay tribute to one of Iran’s most celebrated and groundbreaking filmmakers, Mohsen Makhmalbaf. A self-taught director, Makhmalbaf has released more than 20 acclaimed feature films since 1983, two of which—Gabbeh (SGIFF 1997) and Kandahar (SGIFF 2002)—have opened our Festival. It’s truly a privilege to have him as part of SGIFF, past and present.
In recognition of his lifelong dedication and contribution to cinema, we will present Makhmalbaf with an Honorary Award at this year’s Silver Screen Awards. Aside from that, we celebrate his work and legacy through the Tribute to Mohsen Makhmalbaf programme section, a retrospective of his body of work that includes his latest film The President (2014), A Moment of Innocence (1995), the metafictional Salaam Cinema (1994), The Cyclist (1987) and the aforementioned Gabbeh (1995).
The director himself will also conduct a Masterclass, where he will share his personal experiences in filmmaking and his constant attempts to reinvent its form. Preceding the dialogue session is a screening of the documentary Daddy’s School, by Hassan Solhjoo, about Makhmalbaf and his family’s film school.
Says our Executive Director Yuni Hadi: “His unyielding efforts in conveying the untold stories of a region through film, in honest and profound ways, are unmatched. We celebrate and pay tribute to his perseverance, fervour and conviction as both artist and advocate, and strongly believe that he will inspire future generations of filmmakers to continue telling our Asian story.”
Tickets on sale from end October 2015. Stay tuned for updates!
For more details, check out the press release.
