Iranian director Nejati picked for Dhaka film jury

Iranian director Saeid Nejati was selected as a member of the jury of the 15th International Short and Independent Film Festival (ISIFF) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 7-13.

Nejati is slated to evaluate the films in the international section of the event, IRNA reported.

Born in the capital of western Markazi Province, Arak, in 1981, Nejati has directed, ‘It Rains Slowly,’ ‘Always, You Say Hello First,’ and ‘Dabur.’

To date, he has been awarded a diploma of honor and a cash prize from the Roshd International Film Festival Awards for Best Short Fiction Film and nominated for the Tehran International Short Film Festival award for Best Screenplay.

He had previously served as a juror in the International Izmir Short Film Festival and Tehran International Short Film Festival.

The festival was initiated in December 1988 as the first international festival of short films in the entire subcontinent. Both eminent and young filmmakers attended the previous editions from Europe, Asia, and America.

Among them were Polish director Krzysztof Zanussi and Indian film directors Mrinal Sen, Buddheadev Dasgupta, Gautam Ghose, and Aparna Sen. In the last festival, a total of 300 films from 60 countries participated. The festival is now an internationally recognized showcase for the latest short and independent films made around the globe.

The festival has now become a major biennial cultural event of the country, and has been growing in size, stature, and media coverage.