The film is set in a Kurdish refugee camp on the Iraqi-Turkish border on the eve of the US invasion of Iraq. Thirteen-year-old Kak Satellite is known as “Satellite” for his installation of satellite dishes and antennas for local villagers looking for news of Saddam Hussein and the impending war. He is the dynamic leader of the children, organizing the dangerous but necessary sweeping and clearing of the minefields, and then arranges trade-ins for the unexploded mines.
Satellite falls for an unlikely orphan named Agrin, a sad-faced girl traveling with her disabled but smart brother Henkov, who appears to have the gift of clairvoyance. The siblings are taking care of a three-year-old, whose connection to the pair is discovered as harsh truths about these children are revealed.
Produced, Written and Directed by Bahman Ghobadi
Director of Photography: Shahryar Assadi
Assistant of Writer: Mohammad Reza Kateb , Sepideh Shamlou
Planner and Assistant Director: Shahram Shah Hosseini
Second Assistant of Director: Jalal Saed Panah
Production: Hamid Ghavami , Batin Ghobadi, Hamid Karimi , Babak Amini
Script Supervisor: Nahid Ghobadi
Back Stage Cinematography: Abedin Ali Veisi
Photos: Bahman Ghobadi
Digital Editing: Geranaz Moussavi
Music: Hossein Ali Zadeh
Music Recording: Reza Asgar zadeh , Dohol Studio
Editing: Mostafa khergheh Poosh , Hayedeh Safi Yari
Assistant Producer: Bahram Sarbazi
Camera Assistant: Davoud Amiri
Cinematography Crew: Ali Kani , Ayoub Ahmadi , Toufan Hemmat
Sound Recorder: Bahman Ardalan
Mix: Masoud Behnam ,Hamid Naghibi
Mixing Studio: Paris Sanoten Studio
Sound Studio: Bahman Studio
Executive Producer: Abbas Ghazali
Production Manager in Iraq: Sheyk Mohammad Sadegh Sourchi
Editing Studio: Ourouj Film
Avaz Latif: Agrin
Soran Ebrahim: Satteliet
Saddam Hossein Feysal: Pasheo
Hiresh Feysal Rahman: Hangao
Abdol Rahman Karim: Rega
Ajil Zibari: Shirko
The Golden Shell (The Top Prize) from the 52nd San Sebastian Film Festival
The Jury Award for the Best Screenplay from the 52nd San Sebastian Film Festival
Silver Hugo- Special Jury Prize from the 40th Chicago Film Festival
The Radio-Canada People’s Choice Award from the 33rd Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, Montréal
Special Audience Award from the 28th Sao Paulo International Film Festival, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Special Jury Prize from the 5th Tokyo Filmex Film Festival, Tokyo, Japan
Agnès B. Audience Award from the 5th Tokyo Filmex Film Festival, Tokyo, Japan
Special Audience Award from the Asiaticafilmmediale Film Festival, Rome, Italy
The Best Director of Photography Prize from the International Festival of Auteur Films which, held from 20th to 27th of November in Belgrade
Mercedes Most Moving Award from the 19th Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, Florida, U.S.A
The Aurora Prize from Tromsø International Film Festival, Norway
The Best Audience Award from the 34th Rotterdam International Film Festival, The Netherlands, 2005
Special Mention from the 28th Kinderfilmfest/14 Plus of the Berlin International Film Festival, Germany
The Peace Film Award from Berlin International Film Festival, Germany, 2005
La Pieze Award from The Mexico City International Contemporary Film Festival (FICCO), Mexico, 2005
The Public Award from The Mexico City International Contemporary Film Festival (FICCO), Mexico, 2005
The Audience Award from the 19th Fribourg International Film Festival in Switzerland, 2005
The E-Changer Award from the 19th Fribourg International Film Festival in Switzerland, 2005
The Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the 23rd San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, United States
The Premio citta’di Milano and a Special Mention at the 15th African, Asian, and Latin American Film Festival
The Audience and Distribution Prize at the 16th NatFilm Festival in Denmark
The SIGNIS Award of the 29th Hong Kong International Film Festival
The Best Direction Plaque from the Iranian House of Cinema
The Top Prize of the International Competition from the 19th Esfahan Children Film Festival
Selected as the Best Feature Film by the International Children Jury in the 19th Esfahan Children Film Festival
Golden Dolphin from 21st Festroia Film Festival, Portugal, 2005
FIPRESCI Award at 21st Festroia Film Festival for the Best Film, Portugal, 2005
The Most Favorite Film at the Audience Poll, at the 54th Melbourne International Film Festival, August 2005
Anonimul IFF Trophy for the Best Film at the Anonimul International Film Festival in Romania, August 2005
Audience Award for the Best Film at the Anonimul International Film Festival in Romania, August 2005
The best Teen Film Award, TeenArena at Sarajevo Film Festival, August 2005
The Golden Prometheus Award for the Best Film from the 6th Tbilisi International Film Festival, Georgia, September 2005
Special Recondition Award at the Buster, Copenhagen Children Award, Denmark, September 2005
The Human Rights for Children Prize from 20th Osnabourch Independent Film Festival in Germany, October 2005
Freedom of Expression Film Award from 2006 Index on Censorship International Magazine, United Kingdom, March 2006
The Special Jury Award from the 28th Sao Paulo International Film Festival, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Special Distinction 2006 Award in the International Films Category, granted by the Chilean Art Critics Association, Chile, January 2007
The Best Audience Award from Bahrain Human Rights Internation Film Festival, May 2008.
The Best Director Award from Bahrain Human Rights International Film Festival, May 2008.
National Awards
Best Director Award from 8th Cinema House Celebration (Khane Cinema), Iran 2004
Best film of Iran Cinema Association Award from Esfahan Festival, 2004
Special Jury award of Iran Cinema from Esfahan Festival
Toronto International Film Festival, 9th – 18th September, 2004, Canada. Section: World Premier
San Sebastian International Film Festival, 16th – 28th September 2004, Spain. Section: Competition
Pusan International Film Festival, 7th – 15th October, 2004, Korea. Section: A Window On Asian Cinema
Chicago International Film Festival, 7th – 21st October, 2004, North America. Section: International Feature Film Competition
Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, 14th October – 21st November, 2004, Florida. Section: Official Program
Viennale – International Film Festival Vienna, 15th – 27th October, 2004, Austria. Section: Viennale Edition
Montréal International Film Festival of Nouveau Cinéma, 14th – 24th October, 2004, Canada. Section: Competition
CJ Asian Independent International Film Festival, 20th – 24th October, Korea. Closing Film of the Festival
3rd London Kurdish Film Festival, 22nd October – 4th November, 2004, England
London International Film Festival, 20th October – 4th November, 2004, England
Sao Paulo International Film Festival, 22nd October – 4th November, 2004, Brazil. Section: Competition-New Directors
The 2nd International Disability International Film Festival, 11th – 14th November, 2004, Moscow
International Thessaloniki International Film Festival, 19th – 28th November, 2005. Section: New Horizons
Tokyo Filmex 2004, 20th – 28th November, Japan. Section: Tokyo Filmex Competition (Best Emerging Filmakers in Asia)
International Film Festival of Auteur Films, 20th – 27th November, 2004, Belgrade
Asiaticafilmmediale, 20th – 28th November, 2004, Rome, Italy
Issy Les Moulineaux International Film Festival, 20th – 28th November, 2004, France
Camerimage, 27th November – 4th December, 2004, Polland. Section: Main Competition
The Honolulu Academy of Arts, 2nd – 7th January, 2005, Hawaii
Palm Springs International Film Festival, 6th – 17th January, 2005, USA. Section: Competition
Kurdish Film Festival in Wien, 15th January, 2005
Tromso International Film Festival, 18th – 23rd January, 2005, Norway Section: Competition Program, also nominated for the Norwegian Peace Film Award
34th International Film Festival Rotterdam, 26th January – 6th February, 2005, the Netherlands
Goteborg International Film Festival, 28th January – 7th February, 2005, Sweden. Nordic Premier
Spokane International Film Festival, 29th January – 1st February, 2005, USA. Section: Competition
Miami International Film Festival, 4th – 13th February, 2005, USA. Special Presentation, Section: World Cinema
Portland International Film Festival, 11th – 27th February, 2005, USA. Section: Best of the Festival Award
The 28th Kinderfilmfest of the Berlin International Film Festival, 10th – 20th February, 2005, Germany. Section: The New 14 Plus Competition
The Mexico City International Contemporary Film Festival (FICCO), 16th – 27th February, 2005. Section: Competition, Fiction Official Selection UCLA University, One-Month Celebration of Iranian Cinema, 18th February – 18th March, 2005, USA. Opening Film
Sedona International Film Festival, 3rd – 6th March, 2005, USA. Section: Competition
The 19th Fribourg International Film Festival, 6th – 13th March, 2005, Switzerland. Section: Fiction Competition
Augsburg International Film Festival, 7th – 13th March, 2005, Germany
The 23rd San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival, 10th – 20th March, 2005, USA. Section: Competition
Cinema Novo International Film Festival, 10th – 20th March, 2005, Belgium. Opening Film
The Mar del Plata International Film Festival, 10th – 20th March, 2005, Argentina. Opening film
The Guadalajara International Film Festival, 11th – 18th March, 2005, Mexico
The 5th International Film Festival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 12th – 20th March, 2005, Spain
The 15th African, Asian and Latin American International Film Festival, 14th – 20th March, 2005, Italy. Section: Competition (Lungometraggi Finestra Sul Mondo)
The Bermuda International Film Festival, 18th – 24th March, 2005, USA. Section: Competition
The 23rd Cinemateca Uruguay International Film Festival, 19th March– 4th April, 2005
Hong Kong International Film Festival, 22nd March – 6th April, 2005
Vilnius International Film Festival “Kino Pavasaris,” 1st – 10th April, 2005, Lithuania
The 16th Nat International Film Festival, 1st – 17th April, 2005, Denmark. Section: Main Competition
The 53rd International Film Festival of Mountains, Explorations and Adventures Città di Trento, 28th April – 8th May, 2005, Italy
The Rome International Children Film Festival “Alice in the city”, 23rd – 30th May, 2005, Rome
FESTROIA International Film Festival, 28th May – 5th June, 2005, Portugal. Section: Official Section (FIAPF) In Competition
Taiwan International Film Festival, 25th June – 9th July, 2005
The 40th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, 1st – 9th July, 2005, Czech Republic
Umbria Film Festival, Italy
54th Melbourne International Film Festival, International Guest Section, August, 2005
Anonimul International Film Festival in Romania, Fiction Competition Section, August, 2005
Sarajevo International Film Festival, Bosnia, TeenArena Competition Section, August, 2005
Beirut International Film Festival (Umam), Lebanon, September, 2005
Reykjavik International Film Festival, Iceland, Human Rights Section, September 28th – October 8th , 2005
Buster – Copenhagen International Children Film Festival, Denmark, September, 2005
6th Tbilisi International Film Festival, Georgia, World Competition Section, October, 2005
4th Asian International Film Festival, Mumbai, India, International Section, October 2005
Films from the South Festival, Oslo, Norway, October 2005
20th Osnabourch Independent Film Festival in Germany, Children Films, October, 2005
New East Film Festival, Bonn and Dusseldorf, Germany, November, 2005
23rd Malmo International Children Film Festival, Sweden, February, 2006
20th Riga International Film Festival Forum, Arsenal in Latvia, September 2006
Reykjavik International Film Festival, Iceland. 3×3 Section, Spotlight on Bahman Ghobadi, 28th September – 8th October 2006
Zamahwand 2006 (Kurdish Film Festival) in Manchester, England, September – October (In Partnership with BAFTA)
Montreal Cinemateque, Canada, October 2006 in Retrospection
Cineuropa Festival, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 2nd – 30th November,2006
4th London Kurdish Film Festival, England November 27th – December 3rd, 2006
Berlin Kurdish Film Festival, Germany December 9th, 2006
The Esperanza peace and justice center in Sun Antonio, Texas, February 2007
Austin Film Society, Austin, Texas, U.S.A, 6 March 2007 (Middle eastern films series)
the 1th kurdish Film Festival of Paris, 24th – 30th October 2007, France
1st Bahrain Human Rights International Film festival, 30th April – 4th May, 2008
54th Flaherty International Film Seminar 21-27 June, 2008, NY
Musuem of Modern Art (Moma) 27-7 July,2008, NY
Pyongyang International Film festival 17-26 September, 2008, North Korea
Etnia Film Festival 9-12 October, 2008, Turku, Finland
Iranian Film Festival in Louisville, 11 January- February 22, 2009, USA
Cape Winelands Film Festival, 21 – 29 March, 2009, South Africa
Iranian Film Festival in Laval-Mayenne, 10-24 March, 2010 France
Edinburgh Kurdish Film Festival 6-20 February, 2012, Scotland
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