FACING MIRRORS.

Facing Mirrors Directed By:Negar Azarbayjani Produced by: Fereshteh Taerpour Starring:Shayesteh Irani - Ghazal Shakeri - Homayoun Ershadi - Nima Shahrokh Shahi - Maryam Boubani - Saber Abar - Hengameh Ghazian

Filmfest DC: In a Sea of Comedies, Iranian Transsexual Drama 'Facing Mirrors' Wins Circle Award A five-member jury at Filmfest DC (which ran April 12-22) selected Negar Azarbayjani’s Iranian drama "Facing Mirrors" to receive the Circle Award Sunday night. The award, given to a film the jury believes is “deserving of increased recognition,” comes with a $10,000 cash prize and a chance for a distribution deal with Indiewire parent company SnagFilms.

 “Facing Mirrors,” which follows a pre-op female-to-male transsexual in Tehran as she recruits a female taxi driver to help escape an arranged marriage, beat out five competitors for the award, two of which were comedies. Producer and co-writer Fereshteh Taerpour drove in from New Jersey to accept the award at the closing-night ceremony, held at the Embassy of France. 

“I hope that this award will add as a page to the book of awards of Iranian film,” Taerpour said, expressing her wish that “Facing Mirrors” and other establishment-challenging Iranian movies might receive the same positive international reception as Asghar Farhadi’s Best Foreign Film Oscar winner “A Separation.” 

 “Facing Mirrors” is the first Iranian film to be made about transgenders. The movie has not been released in Iran, and Taerpour remains doubtful of its chances to screen in the tightly censored country. Yet it has found success at numerous international festivals, and will play in Boston, Seattle, San Francisco and Toronto in the coming months.
 - indiewire.com.

.