Iranian filmmaker on Sri Lankan festival jury

TEHRAN,May 16(MNA) -- The Iranian director Mohammadreza Arab is on the jury of the SAARC Film Festival, which is currently underway in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The festival is organized by the SAARC Cultural Centre which is a part of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Arab’s “Last Queen of the Earth”, his debut feature film on the tribulations of Afghan refugees, is screening in Out of Competition Section of the festival. The award-winning film tells the story of an Afghan named Alibakhsh who is working in Iran. He has no way to find out about the situation of his wife and family back home. The U.S. threats to attack Afghanistan after 9/11 increase his distress and finally he decides to repatriate. Arab alongside with filmmakers from Russia and Singapore decide the awards handed out in the international section of the event. The Film Festival will give all member countries an opportunity to screen some of their best feature films as well as documentaries during the gala. Founded in December 1985, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is dedicated to economic, technological, social, and cultural development of the member countries. Its seven founding members are Sri Lanka, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Afghanistan joined the organization in 2005.