A CHILDLESS VILLAGE
A Childless Village
(Sonsuz)
Written and Directed by: Reza Jamali
Producer: Salman Abbasi
Executive Producers: Salman Abbasi, Reza Jamali
DoP: Abdollah Shokri
Editors: Amir Etminan, Homa Valizadeh
Music: Ali Maghazei
Production Designer: Rasoul Alizadeh
Sound: Abdolreza Heydari
Cast: Hamdollah Salimi (Moslem), Behrouz Allahverdizadeh (Kazem), Maryam Momen (Doctor), Safat Ahari (Samad), Naser Mohebi (Akbar), Velayat Khoubdel (Behbood).
Iran, 2022, Red Dragon, DCP, 2K, 24 FPS, Color, 2.39:1, 5.1, 81 mins and 47 secs.
Genre: Comedy
Themes: Women’s Rights, Superstitions, Rural Life, Metacinema
Language(s): Azeri
Synopsis:
Twenty years ago, in a remote village, an old filmmaker named Kazem made a film on the sterility of the women villagers, but in order to protect their dignity, the women stole the footages and burnt them. Now, after two decades, the villagers find out that the men are barren and there is nothing wrong with the women. With the help of his assistant, Kazem tries to record some interviews with the infertile men to unfold the truth…
Director’s View:
From the very first moment, right when Eve ate the apple, the men have pretended that there is a sole reason for all the misery in whole heaven and earth: the women…
They have been always saying, “There’s always a woman involved! Cherchez la femme!”
And sometimes they are right… especially when it is revealed that the problem is not the women, but the men…
Director’s Profile:
Born in Ardebil, Iran in 1978, Reza Jamali is a filmmaking graduate. After making a number of short films, presented and awarded at national and international film festivals, Jamali directed his debut feature film, OLD MEN NEVER DIE, which brought him the Spirits of Asia Award at Tokyo IFF and entered international festival circuits. A CHILDLESS VILLAGE is his second feature film.
Feature Films: 2019- Old Men Never Die; 2022- A Childless Village.
Festivals and Awards:
1- Tallinn Black Nights International Film Festival – POFF (November 2022 – Estonia).
- Critics’ Pick Competition.
2- Red Sea International Film Festival (December 2022 – KSA).
- Main Competition.
- Yusr Award for the Best Screenplay.
3- Dhaka International Film Festival (January 2023 – Bangladesh).
- Cinema of World Section.
4- Pune International Film Festival (February 2023 – India).
- Global Cinema section.
5- Matera Film Festival (October 2023 – Italy).
- Best Feature Film Award.
6- Mostra – Sao Paulo International Film Festival (October 2023 – Brazil).
- New Filmmakers Competition.
7- Lublin Film Festival (November 2023 – Poland).
- Feature Films Section.
8- this human world – International Human Rights Film Festival (December 2023 – Austria).
- Iranian Film Focus.
9- Alternativa Film Awards (December 2023 – Kazakhstan).
- Best Feature Film Nominee.
10- Chicago International Indie Film Festival (December 2023 – USA).
- Feature Length Narrative.
11- Sofia MENAR – Sofia Middle East & North Africa Region Film Festival (January 2024 – Bulgaria).
- Official Selection.
12- Iranian Film Festival in New York – IrFFNY (January 2024 – USA).
- Artistic or Technical Achievement Award.
13- Crossing the Screen – Eastbourne International Film Festival (March 2024 – UK).
- Competition.
14- KIMFF – Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival (June 2024 – Nepal).
- International Competition.
- Best International Feature Film Award.
15- Rabat-Comedy International Film Festival (June 2024 – Morocco).
- Grand Prize.
- Special Jury Prize.
- Special Mention to the Actor.
16- International Imago Film Festival (August 2024 – Italy).
- Stanley Kubrick Award for the Best Director (Reza Jamali).
17- SMAFF – St. Moritz Art Film Festival (September 2024 – Switzerland).
- Main Competition.
18- Asian Film Festival Barcelona (November 2024 – Spain).
- Official Competition.
External Reviews:
2- D Movies – Jeremy Clarke Review.
3- Screen Daily – Allan Hunter Review.
4- Asian Movie Pulse – Marina D. Richter Review.
World Sales:
Sales: mohammad@irimageco.com
Festivals: kamyar@irimageco.com