August 13, 2026 08:55 pm (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Netaji row: Suvendu Adhikari govt strips BJP MP Anant Maharaj of state honour | Sukhbir Badal attacked by Nihang Sikh with kirpan at Maharashtra gurdwara; assailant detained | ‘If you cannot do it, we will pass an order’: Supreme Court’s final warning to Centre on food labels | ‘Time to move on’: Bombay HC sends strong message in Vijay Mallya-bank dispute | Netaji row explodes in Bengal: Suvendu Adhikari orders police action over ‘derogatory’ posts | Kolkata's NRS Hospital nurse found dead in washroom during night shift | RG Kar rape-murder case takes fresh turn as ex-TMC MLA Nirmal Ghosh arrested over cremation probe | ‘Govt has nothing to hide’: Amit Shah says ‘ready for debate’ on NEET crackdown; Rahul Gandhi hits back, ‘not interested in lecture’ | Tata Sons leadership shock: N Chandrasekaran won’t seek reappointment as chairman after February 2027 | ISI-linked Pakistani national arrested in Bengal over 'espionage' targeting Army, BSF, Railways
IDSFFK
Photo courtesy: UNI

IDSFFK to open with 'Seven Winters in Tehran'

| @indiablooms | Aug 03, 2023, at 08:38 pm

Thiruvananthapuram/UNI: The 15th International Documentary and Short Film Festival (IDSFFK) will open with 'Seven Winters in Tehran’, which narrates the story of Rayhaneh Jabbari, an Iranian woman who was compelled to kill a man during a rape attempt, on August 4.

This gripping Persian documentary, directed by the German filmmaker Steffi Niederzel, which won the Compass-Perspective Award at this year's Berlin Film Festival, has also garnered attention at the London and Copenhagen Film Festivals.

The film follows the life of Reyhaneh Jabbari, a courageous 19-year-old woman who was sentenced to death. The documentary is based on real-life events, including secret videos provided by Reyhaneh's family and letters written by her in prison. It sheds light on the entrenched misogyny within the justice system.

It portrays a chilling narrative that exposes the disturbing cycle perpetuated by the oppressive Iranian government of silencing and taking the lives of women.

'Seven Winters in Tehran' retraces Reyhaneh's fate and her family’s, especially her mother Shole Pakravan’s fight for justice. It showcases the indomitable spirit that makes them a symbol of resistance and a powerful advocate for women's rights, not only within Iran's borders but also beyond.

Zar Amir Ebrahimi, the Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival 2022, gave voice to Reyhaneh in the documentary. The documentary will be screened at 6 pm at Kairali Theatre.

The IDSFFK is being organised by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy on behalf of the Kerala Cultural Affairs Department. About 300 films will be screened during the six-day-long festival at Kairali, Sree, and Nila theatres in Thiruvananthapuram.

The screening will be held in competition categories and focus categories, including long documentaries, short documentaries, short fiction, animation, music videos, campus films, jury films, and homage, among others.

In the Homage category, Cinematographer Navroz Contractor, Czech-French novelist Milan Kundera, director and social activist K P Sasi, Artist Namboothiri, documentary filmmaker and social activist Chandita Mukherjee, and painter and contemporary artist Vivan Sundaram will be honoured for their excellence in film and art.

The lifetime achievement award, which recognises overall contributions to the field of documentary filmmaking, will be presented to prominent director and social activist Deepa Dhanraj.

The award comprises two lakh rupees, a memento, and a certificate. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will present the awards on August 9, the festival's last day.

Online delegate registration can be done through the website www.idsffk.in to participate in the festival. The delegate fee is Rs 590, inclusive of GST, for the general category and Rs 354 for students. Registration can also be done offline through the delegate cell set up at Kairali Theatre.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.