WANA (Nov 22) – The documentary “Cutting Through Rocks” (Uzak Yollar) has been awarded the Audience Award at the 38th International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), one of the festival’s most prestigious public honors.

 

The film—directed by Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eini—received the top audience prize at IDFA. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place today (Saturday, November 22), followed by a special screening of the documentary.

 

A multinational co-production between Iran, the United States, Germany, Chile, the Netherlands, and Canada, “Cutting Through Rocks” tells the story of the first female member of a village council in one of Iran’s underprivileged regions. Determined to challenge entrenched patriarchal traditions, she works to curb child marriage while also teaching girls how to ride motorcycles in her spare time.

 

This year’s 38th edition of IDFA also saw Iranian filmmaker Mehrdad Oskouei win the festival’s top award for his film “The Fox under a Pink Moon.” In the Envision Competition, the Best Film Award went to “The Past Future Continuous,” directed by Morteza Ahmadvand and Firouzeh Khosrovani.

Iranian Documentary Wins IDFA Audience Award “Cutting Through Rocks” (Uzak Yollar) poster

The documentary “Cutting Through Rocks” (Uzak Yollar) poster. Social media/ WANA News Agency