In Iran and Iraq’s postwar years, when Iraq bombs its Kurdistan, an old Iranian Kurd singer, accompanied by his musician sons, start searching for his ex-wife Hanareh. Hanareh, a women singer, has gone to Kurdistan in Iraq. The film is the story of the band’s journey, joined with their music. It is the story of a nation that has always been wandering. Being so used to war, they take it as a game and with their music they celebrate life.
Produced, Written and Directed by: Bahman Ghobadi
Screenplay Assistant: Fariborz Kamkari
Directors of Photography: Saeed Nikzat, Shahriar Asadi
Editor: Hayedeh Safi-Yari
Music: Arsalan Komkar
Sound: Hasan Zahedi, Mahmoud Moussavi-Nejad
Sound Mix: Mohammad Haghighi
Assistant Director: Hossein Ghana’at
Production Manager: Mohamad Reza Najafi
Special Effects: Javad Sharifi
Script Supervisor: Raheleh Parvin-Nia
Still Photographers: Bahman Ghobadi, Abedin Ali-Veissey
Shahab Ebrahimi: Mirza
Faegh Mohammadi: Barat
Allah-Morad Rashtian: Audeh
Rojan Hosseini: Rojan
Iran Ghobadi: Hanareh
Saeed Mohammadi: The Teacher
Fathollah Sa’edi
Shilan Rahmani
Bahram Sarbazi
Mariam Pouyani
Hossein Rashid-Ghamat
Winner: The Francois – Chalais Prize, Cannes Film Festival, 2002
Winner: Gold Plaque, Chicago International Film Festival, 2002
Winner: Best Feature Film Award, Cervinio Film Festival, Italy, 2002
Winner: Best Feature Film, 26th Sao Paulo International Film Festival (Mostra), Brazil, 2002
Winner: SIGNIS Award for Best Film at the IV DeHumalc Human Rights Film Festival in Buenos Aires
Nominated for the Best Film at Gijon International Film Festival, Spain, 2002
Nominated for the Golden Tulip at Istanbul International Film Festival, 2003
Cannes Film Festival, France, 2002. World Premiere.
Chicago International Film Festival, 4th – 18th October, 2002. In Competition
En route Vers le Monde, 9th – 13th October, 2002, Nantes, France. In Competition
Sao Paulo International Film Festival, 18th – 31st October, 2002, Brazil. In Competition
Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, 25th – 31st October, 2002, Florida. In Competition
Tokyo International Film Festival, 26th October – 4th November, 2002. In Competition
Banff Mountain International Film Festival, 29th October – 3rd November, 2002. In Competition
Regus London International Film Festival, 6th – 21st November, 2002
Pusan International Film Festival, 14th – 23rd November, 2002, South Korea
Kurdish London Film Festival, 15th – 28th November, 2002
Gijon International Film Festival, 21st – 29th November. In Competition
Festival of Auteur Film, View into the World Section, 23rd – 30th November, 2002, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Tromso International Film Festival, 14th – 19th January, 2003. In Competition
Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema, 4th – 11th February, 2003. In Competition
Films from the South Festival, 14th – 20th February, 2003, Oslo. In Competition
Adelaide International Film Festival, 28th February – 7th March, 2003, Australia
Human Rights Watch International Film Festival in London, 12th – 20th March, 2003
Cinema NOVO International Film Festival in Belgium, 13th – 23rd March, 2003
WOW! Wales One World FF in Aberystwyth, Cardiff, Newport & Swansea, 15th – 29th March, 2003, England
Nat International Film Festival, 28th March – 6th April, 2003, Denmar
Phiafilm, the Philadelphia International Film Festival, 3rd – 17th April, 2003, U.S.A
Taos Talking Picture International Film Festival, 10th – 13th April, 2003.
Istanbul International Film Festival, 12th – 27th April, Turkey. In Competition
Kurdish Film Festival in Frankfurt, 1st – 12th May, 2003, Germany
Culture and Art International Film Festival of Diyarbakir, 24th May – 2nd June, 2003, Turkey
Sydney International Film Festival, 6th – 20th June, 2003, Australia
Auckland International Film Festival, 11th July – 27th July), New Zealand
Wellington International Film Festival, 18th July – 2nd August, 2003, New Zealand
Melbourne International Film Festival, 23rd July – 10th August, 2003, Australia
Trento International Film Festival, 1st – 9th May, 2004, Italy. In Competition
Stockholm Park Cinema, September 4th, 2004, Sweden
Forening YARI International Film Festival, September 5th, 2004, Uppsala Sweden
Asia International Film Festival, 21st – 24th October, 2004, Turku, Finland
Cinemazero, 22nd December, 2004 Pordenone, Italy
Kurdish Film Festival in Wien, January 15th, 2005, Austria
Screened at the Iran Film Week in Tunisia, March, 2006
Montreal Cinemateque, October, 2006, Canada. In Retrospection
New Crowned Hope Festival, 14th November – 13th December 2006, Vienna, Austria
54th Flaherty International Film Seminar 21-27 June, 2008, NY
Musuem of Modern Art (Moma) 27-7 July,2008, NY
Sarlat film festival, 30th of October – 15th of November 2008
Oslo film festival from south festival, 14th – 20th February 2008
