The 'Cinema Truth' festival, as one of the most important events in Iranian documentary cinema, is not only a venue for screening films but also a space for audiences to engage with real and human narratives. Every year, certain films receive special attention, and audiences line up to see them.
Audience Choices in Recent Years
At the seventeenth 'Cinema Truth' festival, the award for best film from the audience's perspective went to 'Ghavidel', directed by Ali Farahani-Sadr. This documentary addresses the case of HIV contaminated blood, and its main character, Ahmad Ghavidel, has been involved in pursuing this case for years. The narrative of his life and efforts in this film portrays the social and judicial dimensions of the subject in a deeper way.
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The initial idea of the production team was to make a film about Corona, but their searches led them to the case of contaminated blood and the name Ahmad Ghavidel. 'Ghavidel' not only won the audience's special award at this festival but also received other awards and attracted significant attention.
Human Stories in the Following Two Years
In the eighteenth festival, 'Torgi', directed by Tawfiq Heydari and produced by Mohammad Kart, tells an emotional story about a complex relationship between a father and son. This film follows a young boy who goes to the outskirts of the city to find his father, who left the family years ago and has become addicted. Tawfiq eventually finds his father among the trash, and this marks the beginning of a new story where roles change.
In the nineteenth festival, 'Kabook', directed by Jafar Sadeghi, focuses on the life of a family in a village in Golestan province. This family, which makes a living through agriculture and gardening, suddenly encounters thousands of migratory birds. This situation creates challenges for them, highlighting the conflict between nature and human livelihood.
These three films, with different themes, reflect the audience's interest in human and real stories. The audience's choices in these years clearly show that they are looking for narratives they can connect with and learn about the real lives of people.
As the twentieth 'Cinema Truth' festival approaches, the question remains which story the audience will choose this time. In a place where the halls are filled with viewers, the audience's choice can be an indication of their connection to documentary cinema.
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