Screenplay: Iranian director ‘delighted’ at showing his latest movie

Iranian director Hassan Nazer.

Writer and director Hassan Nazer described his first appearance at Screenplay as “quite amazing”, saying he is delighted for Shetland audiences to view his latest movie, Winners.

Speaking to The Shetland Times prior to the screening of the film tomorrow (Saturday), Nazar told of his upbringing in his home country of Iran before becoming a refugee and then moving to Scotland as a teenager.

Based in Aberdeen, where he runs his own Iranian-style restaurant, Nazer studied film and media there in 2006 before releasing a number of internationally-acclaimed films, including the award-winning Winners.

Nazer said he was “delighted” to be in Shetland and able to bring his movie to a new audience.

Winners is described as a drama/comedy and is set in a poor Iranian village where the children work hard to support their families.

One day nine-year-old Yahya and his friend Layla find a precious statuette in the desert. As the authorities search for the lost treasure, Yahya boss Nasser Khan decides to help the children find its rightful owner.

Screenplay opened on Tuesday and runs until Sunday at The Mareel.

Winners is screened tomorrow from 2pm.

• Read full interview in next week’s Shetland Times.