In addition, film star Mobina Ayenehdar won the Best Actress award for her role in the film.
The festival, which is exclusively for Iranian films, was held in Los Angeles from May 1 to 3.
A joint production of Iran, France and Lebanon, “Niloofar” is about the twelve-year-old Niloofar, who longs to learn how to read and write, but she lives in a village where education is only for boys.
Her mother, a well-known midwife, insists that Niloofar become her apprentice. While assisting her mother during a delivery, Niloofar meets a woman who promises to teach her in secret.
Meantime, Niloofar’s father has promised her in marriage to an older man once she becomes a woman. Horrified by this notion, Niloofar does everything in her power to postpone the onset of her womanhood.
Starring Hengameh Qaziani, Amir Aqai, Sadeq Safai, Fatemeh Motamed-Aria and Shahab Hosseini, the film was directed by French filmmaker Sabine El Gemayel.
Following is a list of the winners:
Best Feature: “Niloofar” (produced by Fereshteh Ta’erpur)
Best Director: Faramarz Rahbar (“Donkey in Lahore”)
Best Documentary: “Donkey in Lahore”
Best Short: “The Florist” (directed by Ladan Yalzadeh)
Best Actress: Mobina Aynehdar (“Niloofar”)
Best Idea/Story: “Flags of Kaveh’s Castle” (written and directed by Mohammad Nurizad)
Audience’s Favorite: “Donkey in Lahore”
MMS/YAW
END
MNA