A co-production between Iran and Afghanistan, ‘Drowning in Holy Water,’ directed by Tehran-based Afghan filmmaker Navid Mahmoudi, received the Best Feature Award at the SAMA International Film Festival in Stockholm, Sweden.

Actors Ali Shadman, Neda Jebraeili, Matin Heidarnia and Sadaf Asgari star in the film.

“‘Drowning in Holy Water’ is a powerful story of desperation and desire, told honestly with outstanding cinematography and performance,” the statement of the jury about the film reads.

Films from India, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Afghanistan also participated in the event.

It is about Rona and Hamed, two young Afghans who are in love with each other. Searching for a better life, they have decided to immigrate to Europe but they have to make a big decision to make it happen, a decision that relates to their religion and beliefs.

Produced by Jamshid Mahmoudi, the film has previously been screened at the Iranian Film Festival Cologne (Visions of Iran) in Germany and won the Kim Jiseok Award at the 25th Busan International Film Festival.

Nelofer Pazira, Italo Spinelli, Mohammad Hassan Nazeri, Sergey Anashkin, and Jaanis Valk were among the jury members of the Swedish festival.

 

Source: Iran Daily