News – NEMATIANfilm

“Majonezë”, directed by Giulia Grandinetti, is a compelling 22-minute short film produced in 2024. Set in Ersekë, Albania, the narrative follows Elyria, a young woman constrained by her father’s stringent rules. Her suppressed anger and growing desire for rebellion culminate in a poignant act of personal revolution.

The film has garnered significant acclaim on the international festival circuit, showcasing its universal themes and artistic excellence. Its world premiere took place at Alice nella Città in Italy, where it received the Best Italian Short Film Award. Following this success, “Majonezë” was honored with the Canal+ Award at the Cinemed – Festival International Cinéma Méditerranéen de Montpellier in France.

Continuing its impressive festival journey, the film was recognized at several esteemed events:

At Visioni Italiane in Italy, it earned the Best Director Award, a Special Mention from the Young Jury, and the Best Technical Contribution Award.
The Roma Creative Contest celebrated the film with multiple accolades, including Best Italian Short Film Award, Best Actress Award for Caterina Bagnulo, and Best Cinematography Award.
In Italy, Afrodite Shorts honored the film with the Best Screenplay Award and the New Vision Award.
The Trieste Film Festival in Italy presented “Majonezë” with the PAG Jury Award.
At Cortinametraggio in Italy, the film received the Best Director Award, a Special Mention from the Young Jury, and a Special Mention from the Rai Cinema Award.

“Majonezë” has also been featured in numerous other international festivals, including:

Sulmona International Film Festival (Italy)
Corto Condorello (Italy), where it received the Jury Award
Corto Dorico Filmfest (Italy), earning the Audience Award
BOGOSHORTS – Bogotá Short Film Festival (Colombia)
Zubroffka Short Film Festival (Poland)
Passaggi d’Autore: Intrecci mediterranei (Italy)
Muestra de Cine Internacional de Palencia (Spain)
Pragueshorts Film Festival (Czech Republic)
Landshut Short Film Festival (Germany)
Akbank Short Film Festival (Turkey)
Bif&st Bari International Film&TV Festival (Italy)

The film’s success is a testament to the collaborative efforts of its talented team. Produced by Lupin Film, with producers Riccardo Neri, Vincenzo Filippo, and Giulia Grandinetti, and associated producers Natasha Markou (London Production Studios), Parisa Ghasemi, and Ashkan Nematian (Close Film), “Majonezë” stands as a shining example of international cinematic collaboration.

For more information and updates, please visit the official Lights On Film page for “Majonezë”.

My Perfect Birthday is a powerful and emotionally resonant short film written and directed by Parisa Ghasemi. The film follows Mila, a young art student on the verge of adulthood, who finds herself caught between societal expectations and her own emerging sense of identity. As her milestone birthday approaches, Mila struggles to navigate the pressures imposed by her family and culture, ultimately embarking on a journey of personal awakening and quiet rebellion.

The film had its world premiere in 2024 at Vienna Shorts, one of the most respected international short film festivals held annually in Vienna, Austria. The premiere marked a significant milestone for the film, showcasing its compelling narrative and sensitive portrayal of universal coming-of-age themes.

Following its premiere, My Perfect Birthday has continued its festival journey with an official selection at the prestigious Diagonale – Festival of Austrian Film, scheduled to take place from March 27 to April 1, 2025, in Graz, Austria. The inclusion in Diagonale affirms the film’s artistic quality and its relevance within the landscape of contemporary Austrian cinema.
View on Diagonale

At the heart of the film is director Parisa Ghasemi, known for her emotionally nuanced storytelling and focus on themes such as identity, generational tension, and cultural expectations. Her previous works include Residency (2017) and Looteyo (2023), both of which have garnered attention for their powerful human stories and artistic integrity.
View on IMDb
Official Website

With My Perfect Birthday, Parisa Ghasemi once again proves herself a bold and thoughtful voice in international cinema. The film’s heartfelt exploration of personal agency and quiet resistance makes it a standout on the festival circuit, and a must-watch for audiences seeking stories that resonate deeply.

Looteyo – Ashkan Nematian’s Stunning Debut Evokes the Spirit of Kiarostami

Looteyo, the impressive debut feature film by Iranian-born director Ashkan Nematian, tells the story of Mansour, an 11-year-old boy from the island of Hormuz whose childhood is abruptly disrupted by the violent death of his father in a crossfire between drug traffickers and the water police. In the aftermath, Mansour assumes responsibility for his mother, whose modest dream of opening a seaside café becomes the emotional anchor of the film. Resourceful and determined, Mansour begins guiding tourists through the island’s vivid landscapes using his rickshaw, only to become entangled in a risky courier job that promises fast money – but at a potentially steep price.

What makes Looteyo truly exceptional is not just its powerful coming-of-age narrative or its vibrant portrayal of island life in southern Iran, but its deep artistic resonance with the early cinema of Abbas Kiarostami, one of Iran’s most celebrated filmmakers. Nematian, a former student of Kiarostami and graduate of the University of Arts in Linz, carries forward a legacy of poetic realism, non-professional actors, and humanist storytelling that defined Kiarostami’s signature style.

Critics have drawn particular parallels between Looteyo and Kiarostami’s 1974 classic The Traveler (Mosāfer). Both films center on young boys driven by dreams bigger than their circumstances, navigating complex moral landscapes with childlike boldness. Mansour’s restless entrepreneurial spirit and love for soccer mirror the determination of the young protagonist in The Traveler, forging a connection between the two films across decades.

Yet Looteyo is no mere homage. While Kiarostami often leaned toward allegory and abstraction, Nematian grounds his storytelling more firmly in the documentary tradition. The heartbeat of Hormuz – its sounds, silences, rhythms, and textures – shapes the film’s cinematic language. The agile, intuitive camerawork, mostly aligned with the eye level of its youthful protagonist, creates a strong sense of realism, only drifting into suspenseful abstraction when tension demands it.

Reviewer Andrey Arnold notes that Nematian “sketches en passant a carefree but frayed portrait of everyday life and a social panorama full of noteworthy details.” Indeed, what sets Looteyo apart is its ability to be both specific and universal: a story rooted in a distinct culture and geography, yet resonant for audiences far beyond the Persian Gulf.

Film Festival Journey and Streaming

Since its premiere, Looteyo has screened at notable festivals including Crossing Europe and this human world – International Human Rights Film Festival in Vienna. It has also been shown at Top Kino, one of Austria’s most respected arthouse cinemas.

The film is now available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video (Germany) and is part of the distribution catalogue at Sixpackfilm, a leading platform for auteur and experimental cinema.
Watch on Amazon
Catalogue at Sixpackfilm
Crossing Europe – Festival Page
This Human World Festival

With Looteyo, Ashkan Nematian positions himself as a powerful new voice in contemporary cinema – one that honors the past while forging his own path. Through tender storytelling, grounded performances, and a cinematic eye deeply attuned to his environment, Nematian’s debut is not only a tribute to his mentor Abbas Kiarostami, but also a remarkable achievement in its own right.