TEHRAN -- Iranian filmmaker Muhammadreza Ardalan has won the Best Director award at the 14th Asian Film Festival Barcelona in Spain for his debut feature, Havar, internationally titled Poultry Farm.
Written and directed by Ardalan and produced by Bahman Ardalan, the film began its international distribution campaign last year through Madakto Pictures. It was previously titled Faryad (Scream).
The award marks another milestone in the film’s international festival journey. Poultry Farm previously received two awards at Russia’s Marie Anne International Ethnic Film Festival: Best Screenplay for Muhammadreza Ardalan and a Special Jury Award for Best Music for composer Navid Hejazi.
The film also attracted attention at the 20th edition of MOTELX – Lisbon International Horror Film Festival in Portugal, where it drew interest from critics. The Guardian reportedly described it as a “hidden gem” of the festival.
Its international festival itinerary has also included selections for the 17th Puerto Rico International Film Festival, the second Kathmandu Horror Film Festival in Nepal and the 57th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), held in Goa.
Poultry Farm follows Havar, a young Kurdish migrant who crosses the border from Iraq into Iran in search of work and finds employment at a remote poultry farm outside Tehran. When a fellow worker disappears, Havar begins investigating, uncovering a world shaped by exploitation, fear and violence.
The film combines elements of mystery thriller and social drama, using an isolated setting to explore the vulnerability of undocumented migrants.
Meanwhile, Iranian documentary Pishgharavol (Vanguard), directed by Muhammad Saqafi and Amirhussein Akati, has unveiled its official poster, designed by Shadan Hashemi, as the film moves into its sound post-production phase.
According to the production team at the Revayat-e Fath Foundation’s Documentary Group, filming has been completed, with sound editing and post-production now underway. Mehrdad Jelowkhani is handling the film’s sound design and post-production.
The documentary portrays the devotion of people in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad as they prepare to welcome the martyred 
Leader. Through an observational approach, the filmmakers follow individuals and communities whose efforts contribute to preparing their cities and organizing the reception.
Vahid Ronaghi serves as the film’s narrator.
Vanguard is seeking a place in the competition lineup of the 20th edition of the Cinema Verite International Documentary Film Festival.
The documentary’s creative and production team also includes editor Mehdi Ansari; sound designer Mehrdad Jelowkhani; artistic adviser Ruhollah Movahedi; writer Negin Riazi; researcher Zahra Husseini; production manager Farid Marzouqi; cinematographers Saeed Farhang and Hussein Bakhtiari; colorist Shahryar Sepehri; lettering designer Muhammad Javad Mazlaqani; and poster designer Shadan Hashemi.