WANA (Sep 06) – Iranian director Amir Azizi’s feature “Inside Amir” has won the top prize of the Venice Days section at the Venice Film Festival, an award presented by the association of directors.

 

Described as a love letter to Tehran, Inside Amir is Azizi’s third feature film. It follows the story of a young man in the Iranian capital on the verge of emigration.

 

Caught between scattered memories, unfinished conversations, and long, quiet days, he faces a life-changing decision: to leave or to stay. The one thing he refuses to part with is his bicycle—a constant companion through the streets of Tehran and a symbol of his past.

 

The jury of Venice Days, chaired by Norwegian writer-director Dag Johan Haugerud, praised the film in a statement: “The work we honor tonight is a meditation on everyday life, reminding us how ordinary routines, gestures, and conversations among friends can provide both safety and freedom.”

 

The award includes a €20,000 (US$23,000) cash prize, shared equally between the director and the film’s international distributor.

 

Meanwhile, the Europa Cinemas Label Award for Best European Film in the Venice Days section went to “The Bear Cave”, directed by Greek filmmakers Stergios Dinopoulos and Chrisiana Papadakis.

Inside Amir delegation in Venice

Inside Amir’s delegation in Venice. Social media/ WANA News Agency