(Junks & Dolls / آشغالها و عروسکها)
Iran, 2023, 76min.
Director: Manijeh Hekmat
Writers: Manijeh Hekmat, Mehrave Ferdosi
Producers: Manijeh Hekmat, Mahshid Ahangarani Farahani
Cast: Behdokht Valian, Mohammad Valizadegan, Reza Koolaghani, Raja Jafari
Synopsis:
A couple is destined to build up their life in the heart of a waste depot in the forests of northern Iran. They begin to create various items from the junks they find and form connections with the surrounding people. However, challenges arise as they confront the remnants of those determined to resist their nature.
Director’s Bio:
Born 23 March 1962 in Arak, Manijeh Hekmat is an Iranian film director. She has worked since 1980 as an assistant director and production designer in over 25 films. She directed her first feature film, Women’s Prison (Zendan-e Zanān), in 2002. This film has been shown at over 80 international film festivals and has received seven prizes. Three Women (Seh Zan) is Hekmat’s second feature film, made in 2007. Hekmat has produced five notable films, including the award-winning features The Girl in the Sneakers and A Bunch of Grass, the latter a German-produced film made in Iranian Kurdistan. In her 2018 movie, The Old Road, Hekmat addressed the social problem of violence against women.
Festivals & Awards:
– Dhaka International Film Festival 2024 – Best Film Award in the Women Filmmakers Competition.
– Asian Film Festival Barcelona 2024
– Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival 2024
– Kolkata International Film Festival 2023
*Premiere Status: NY Premiere
