Projects matching: Abolfazl Talooni

Synopsis

On the rugged shores of England, a teenage girl witnesses her father’s cruelty toward a migrant who has just arrived by small boat, forcing her to confront the complexities of both her father and the world around her.

Synopsis

A story about a man who threw a party, which birthed a globally renowned event, which led to a film, which led to a lawsuit, which led to a legacy. Founded in 1972 by sculptor Andrew Logan, The Alternative Miss World is a celebration of transformation and unorthodox beauty. Starting as makeshift private parties held in his artist studio in an old jigsaw factory, the event married the Miss World competition with Crufts dog show, all with a sense of joy and humour. An instant smash hit, early judges and competitors included cultural legends like David Hockney, Derek Jarman, Zandra Rhodes and Leigh Bowery. 1978 saw them take the party public, hiring a big-top tent on Clapham Common for a circus themed extravaganza, hosted by drag icon Divine. A film about the night premiered at Cannes in 1980, and was meant to make it’s London debut on the same evening as the Miss World event. However there was an attempt to scupper this homecoming when later that year they found themselves in The Royal Court of Justice, being sued by Miss World and represented by a trainee barrister by the name of Tony Blair… Official Selection Raindance Film Festival 2025

Synopsis

Hassan is a young airport customs officer who must secure an advance on his salary for his mother’s medication. As the dark side of his job becomes more clear, Hassan must decide what matters to him the most, and what cost he is willing to pay, navigating a totalitarian system. Official Selection Black Star Film Festival BSFF 2024

Synopsis

Striving to build a successful life in London, Reza places an ad in a peculiar newspaper and discovers the Iranian community hidden in plain sight. Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2024

Synopsis

After the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran, a boy grew up obsessed with all the movies he couldn't see. He met a mysterious film collector who saved thousands of films from destruction by the new regime. Despite arrest and torture, the collector refused to give up his secret hoard. Together they forged a friendship based on passion for cinema and resistance against tyranny. The boy escaped to exile in London to become a filmmaker, and tells their shared story of obsession and celluloid dreams. Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2023 - Documentary Competition - World premiere

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An older couple leave Tehran and return to their idyllic home town on the Turkish border, but their dreams of quiet retirement are shattered by the realisation that their town has become a smuggling gateway into Europe.

Synopsis

15-year-old Leigh is a gymnast focused on her first competition on the squad. Leigh’s life is turned upside down when her older half brother Joe, who she didn’t know existed, comes to stay with her and her father. But when her confidence at gymnastics is knocked, Leigh finds herself caught up in an underground world of moped crime with her brother. Starting to find excitement and the attention she has been so desperately needing, Leigh stands at a crossroads between her gymnastic dreams and an exciting new world... Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2019 - Journey Strand - World premiere

Synopsis

Sex education. Awkward memories, right? Boys and girls separated, a flustered teacher, the bare biological facts and a dose of shame. In the Netherlands, they do things differently. Children from the age of four learn to talk about their bodies and sexuality in an open and frank manner. This documentary observes a diverse group of pre-teens from Amsterdam, having a candid conversation about their changing bodies with an inspiring teacher. This isn’t just a sex ed class, this is an anti-shame class. Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2019 - Love Strand

Synopsis

Following a new women's movement emerging in the USA, through the story of a Chicago divorcée. ‘Fascinating Womanhood’ encourages women to reject feminism and revert to the values of 1950s housewives. Jenny is the movement’s most dedicated follower but her devotion is causing rifts with her friends and LGBT daughter.

Synopsis

A conscientious English teacher’s ethics and sense of self are challenged by a short story depicting her violent death.

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To keep her job and home in London, an immigrant single mother has to hide her five-year-old daughter from her boss and landlord.

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Three estranged siblings reunite after the death of their father. Amidst secrets and recriminations, is there a hope for reconciliation? Starring Lia Williams, Marianne Oldham and Justin Salinger.