Israfil(HKAFF 2017)

As widow Mahi mourns the death of her only son, her past lover Behrooz returns to Iran from Canada. Despite their families’ objections, the two are drawn to each other again to confront their memories and past scandal, but Behrooz is engaged to a young woman Sara, who lives with her manic-depressive mother and manipulative brother. Sara learns of Behrooz’s past affair and wonders if she still wants him even with the brighter prospect of moving overseas. After earning critical acclaim with her debut feature Nahid (Un Certain Regard Avenir Prize of Cannes Film Festival), Ida Panahandeh’s much anticipated Israfil portrays lucid realities with a poetic sensibility. The astute editing by Asian Film Awards Best Editing winner Hayedeh Safiyari captures the heartbeats of the story, accentuating Panahandeh’s perceptive portrayal of her characters and their world.