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A portrayal of a marriage in crisis is nothing uncommon in Iranian cinema. Not once, not twice we were quiet observers of the bonds and relations falling apart. Asghar Farhadi even brought this kind of existential drama to perfection. Though “Reza”, a debut feature of a poet, screenplay writer, an author and a movie critic Alireza Motamedi, is unlike any of those movies. The director, who also scripted the film and cast himself as the main character, takes a completely different approach, what results in a warm and light-hearted story, a kind of offbeat romcom for intellectuals.

“Reza” is screening at San Diego Asian Film Festival:

After nine years of marriage, Reza (Alireza Motamedi) and Fati (Sahar Dolatshahi), both successful architects, are going to part their ways. The decision is hers and Reza is far from understanding the reasons behind his wife’s sudden change of heart. Actually, she is...

Film programs include one of the first lesbian Bollywood films (“Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga”), a film with the backdrop of 80’s Saigon and its Vietnamese folk opera (“Song Lang”) and an Indonesian culinary journey through film (“Aruna and her Palate”)

The special series “From The Claws of Darkness: Restoring Philippine Cinema” brings the second golden age of Philippine film to the big screen for audiences to enjoy once again, including “Moral,” “Himala,” and “Batch ‘81”and “Manila In The Claws of Light”

San Diego, California – March 26, 2019 – The 9th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival (Sdaff) Spring Showcase, presented by Pacific Arts Movement (Pac Arts) will be taking place on April 11-18 at the UltraStar Mission Valley. This year, a majority of the showcased films highlight South Asian and Southeast Asian stories.

There will also be a special collection of milestone Filipino films shown as a part of the...

Paul Dano’s directorial debut “Wildlife,” which has had considerable festival play including Sundance, Cannes and Toronto is among the titles in the international competition at the 20th Mumbai film festival.

The festival runs Oct. 25 to Nov. 1, 2018. U.S. director, Darren Aronofsky (“Black Swan”) will give a masterclass.

Other international competition titles include deceased Chinese director Hu Bo’s “An Elephant Sitting Still” which won awards at Berlin and Hong Kong; “And Breathe Normally” which won Isold Uggadottir the directing award at Sundance; Tiago Melo’s “Azougue Nazare,” which won at Rotterdam; Gabrielle Brady’s “Island of the Hungry Ghosts,” which won prizes at Edinburgh and Tribeca; Dominic Sangma’s “Ma-Ama”; Phuttiphong Aroonpheng’s “Manta Ray” which won an award at Venice; Christina Coe’s “Nancy” which won the screenwriting prize at Sundance; Alireza Motamedi’s “Reza”; Etienne Kallos’ “The Harvesters”; Marcello Martinessi’s “The Heiresses,” which won awards at Berlin,...

A sign of the ongoing renewal in Iranian cinema is the whimsical originality of films like Reza, an utterly relaxed take on modern marriage and romance laced with the poignant ironies of a Woody Allen comedy. The droll, bearish hero, Reza (winningly played by writer-director Alireza Motamedi), is a model of lethargy and passivity, and the film’s running gag revolves around the women dropping in and out of his life without his lifting a finger. Though it starts slow and maintains an unhurried pace, the story is as captivating as a fable come to life against the backdrop of a...

A sign of the ongoing renewal in Iranian cinema is the whimsical originality of films like <em>Reza</em>, an utterly relaxed take on modern marriage and romance laced with the poignant ironies of a Woody Allen comedy. The droll, bearish hero, Reza (winningly played by writer-director Alireza Motamedi), is a model of lethargy and passivity, and the film’s running gag revolves around the women dropping in and out of his life without his lifting a finger. Though it starts slow and maintains an unhurried pace, the story is as captivating as a fable come to life against the backdrop of a ...