Contemporary Iranian Cinema
Screening Dates
  • February 10, 2019 4:00
  • February 14, 2019 6:30

Tough-hearted and tender in equal measures … A beautiful, ballad-like film.”

VIFF

The second feature of director Abbas Amini (Valderrama) won Best Film and Best Director honours at November’s CineIran Festival in Toronto. On the crimson beaches of the hematite-rich island of Hormoz, 13-year-old Hendi is married off to 16-year-old Hormoz, who is jobless and lives in poverty like most of the island’s inhabitants. When Hendi becomes pregnant, Hormoz turns to a drug smuggler in an effort to ensure his family’s livelihood. Amini, who has debuted both of his films at the Berlin International Film Festival, tackles the topic of young adults in the Iranian lower classes dealing with existential crises. Hendi and Hormoz is a gorgeously shot, moving drama that quietly mesmerizes its audience, cementing Amini as one of the most exciting Iranian filmmakers to watch” (CineIran).

Media