Iran bags Abu Dhabi prize for 'The Memories on Stone’

Tehran, Nov 2, IRNA - The movie titled ‘The Memories on Stone’ directed by Shawkat Amin-Korki won the Black Pearl Award of the Eight Abu Dhabi Film Festival (2014) for the best feature film. The movie is the latest work of the Iraqi Kurd director Amin-Korki. Its cinematographer is Salem Salavati from Iran. In its fourth presence in an international event, ‘The Memories on Stone’ contended in the festival’s Narrative Section and in addition to the Black Pearl Award it won the festival’s 50-thousand-dollar cash prize. The movie, a joint production of Iran, Iraqi Kurdistan and Germany, is about two childhood friends, Hussein and Alan, who decide to produce a film about the Al-Anfal Kurdish genocide after the fall of the regime in Iraq. But making a film in postwar Kurdistan is a nightmarish experience, the most difficult task being to find a lead actress. Problems emerge one after the other, and they are on the verge of giving up when a young lady, Sinor, arrives at the audition. The festival’s panel of juries includes Irfan Khan (Indian actor), Waciny Laredj (Algerian novelist), Steven Shainberg (British director), Cate Shortland (Australian writer and film director) and Palestinian actor Ali Suliman. A total of 197 films form 61 countries participated in the fest’s competition and non-competition sector. The event was held during October 23-November 1, 2014. Shawkat Amin Korki was born in 1973 in Iraqi Kurdistan. He studied cinema in Iran where he lived for 25 years. He worked in theater, television and cinema before his return to Kurdistan. Korki gained international recognition with his debut feature ‘Crossing the Dust’ (2006) winning the Golden Alhambra at Cines del Sur, Granada, Spain, and earning about 20 more international awards./end