“About Elly” scoops six awards at Iran Cinema Celebration

The award-presentation ceremony for the main section took place here at Tehran’s Milad Tower on Thursday, attended by cineastes, where “About Elly” stood on top winning six awards after eight nominations, among them best director and best film.

The film brought the best actor award for Shahab Hosseini, best supporting actress award for Merlia Zarei, best supporting actor for Saber Abar, and best editor for Haydeh Safiyari.

“About Elly” won Farhadi a Silver Bear for best director at the Berlinale 2009. It was also awarded in the Best Narrative Feature category at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.

“About Elly” represented Iranian cinema in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards in 2010.

Starring Shahab Hosseini, Golshifteh Farahani, Mani Haqiqi, Saber Abar and Merila Zarei, “About Elly” tells the story of middle class Iranians whose trip to the Caspian Sea turns into a disaster as they try to maintain their social customs.

The following is the list of the other winners:

* Best Screenplay: “Time of Being” by Jalil Saman.

* Best Actress: Negar Javaherian “Gold and Copper”.

* Best Stage Designer: Abdolhamid Qadirian for “The Kingdom of Solomon”.

* Best Cinematographer: Hamid Khozuii Abyaneh for “The Kingdom of Solomon”.

* Best Computerized Special Effects: Leo Lu for “The Kingdom of Solomon”.

* Best Site Specific Special Effects: Mohsen Ruzbahani for “The Fateful Night”.

* Best Music: Mohammadreza Aliqoli “Evening of the 10th Day”.

* Best Makeup Artist: Sudabeh Khosravi for “The Day Goes and the Night Comes”.

* Best Sound Recorder: Mahmud Sammakbashi for “When All of Us Are Asleep”.

* Best Sound Effects: Mohsen Roshan for “The Child and the Angel”.

* Best First Film Director: Majid Barzegar “Time of Seasonal Rainfall”.

* Best Photo: Mehdi Delkhaasteh for “A True Report”.

Photo: Asghar Farhadi delivers a short speech after receiving a best director award for “About Elly” during the 14th Iran Cinema Celebration at Milad Tower on September 17, 2010. Filmmakers Sirus Alvand (R) and Azizollah Hamidnejad (L) are also seen in the background. (Fars/Hossein Salehi-Ara)