Iranian director receives Grand Medal of Vermeil

TEHRAN,June 9(MNA) -- Iranian director Asghar Farhadi was honored with the Grand Medal of Vermeil from the City of Paris on Thursday for his Palme d’Or contender “The Past”. The medal was presented to Farhadi by the Mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoe, during a press conference held in the capital’s City Hall for this year’s Paris Cinema Film Festival that runs from June 28 to July 9, announced the organizers. “Your works remind us of Victor Hugo,” Delanoe said while presenting the medal to Farhadi, adding that Farhadi is a filmmaker who makes one familiar with the rich culture of Iran, according to what Nouvel Observateur has reported on its website. Farhadi also thanked the mayor for providing the facilities to shoot the movie in Paris and its suburbs. The French-language film is Farhadi’s first project filmed outside of his homeland. French star Berenice Bejo won a best actress award for her role in Farhadi’s drama “The Past” (“Le Passe”) at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Bejo portrays Marie Brisson, a French woman who has ongoing domestic problems with her Iranian husband, Ahmad. Farhadi’s “A Separation”, which won the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar at the 2012 Academy Awards ceremony, and his Silver Bear Winning “About Elly” are also due to be screened at the festival. Farhadi is also expected to attend the film screenings. Moreover, Roman Polanski’s “Venus in Fur”, starring his wife Emmanuelle Seigner opposite Mathieu Amalric as an actress and director embroiled in a racy, psychological battle will open this year’ Paris Cinema Film Festival. There will be previews of Abdellatif Kechiche’s Palme d’Or winner “Blue Is the Warmest Color”, with co-stars Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux attending, as well as Ari Folman’s Directors’ Fortnight opener “The Congress”. The International Competition includes Singaporean Anthony Chen’s “IloIlo”, which won the Camera d’Or for best first feature film at Cannes, and Justine Triet’s child custody-divorce drama “The Battle of Solferino”, which screened in the ACID selection. This year’s country of honor is Belgium. The program pays homage to actress Natacha Regnier, and focuses on directors Joachim Lafosse and Felix van Groeningen. In addition, there will be retrospectives devoted to the work of South African artist William Kentridge, featuring screenings of his 9 Drawings for Projection animated short film series capturing South Africa in the years immediately after Apartheid.