Hava, Maryam, Ayesha
Film poster
Directed bySahraa Karimi
StarringArezoo Ariapoor
Release date
  • 6 September 2019 (2019-09-06) (Venice)
Running time
86 minutes
CountryAfghanistan
LanguageDari Persian

Hava, Maryam, Ayesha is a 2019 Afghan drama film directed by Sahraa Karimi. It was the first independent film shot in the country with an all-Afghan cast and crew.[1] The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival [2] and had its first screening in Asia at the Busan International Film Festival.[3]

Plot

Three women in Kabul face challenging moments in their lives during pregnancy.

Sahraa Karimi says of the characters: "They face difficulties with pregnancy, and also, they question their motherhood. What does it mean to be a pregnant woman in Afghan, patriarchal society? I like all films where women are very strong."[4]

Cast

Reception

Critical response

The Hollywood Reporter spoke of an "accomplished narrative debut from Karimi" with "solid" lead actresses and noted that the three stories of the film were "performed with grace and humanity".[2]

Screen Daily described the film as an "engaging, accessible feature" and "a poignant triptych confronting the plight of women with no control over their bodies or their destinies". The review gave special nods to the "thoughtful production design" and the cinematography capturing "a sense of Kabul’s bustling streets and sprawling cityscapes".[5]

Awards and nominations

The film was selected as the Afghan entry for Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards,[6] but it was not included on the Academy's final list of films for consideration because of alleged questions over the legitimacy of the Afghan committee that submitted the film.[7]

Award Date Category Recipient Result Ref.
Venice Film Festival 2019 Venice Horizons Award Hava, Maryam, Ayesha Nominated [8]
Asian World Film Festival 2019 Best Actress Arezoo Ariapoor, Fereshta Afshar, Hasiba Ebrahimi Won
Dhaka International Film Festival 2020 Best Actress Arezoo Ariapoor, Fereshta Afshar, Hasiba Ebrahimi Won [9]
Tasveer South Asian Film Festival 2021 Jury Prize: Best Director Sahraa Karimi Won

See also

References

  1. ^ Gellman, Lucy (13 April 2022). "Arts & Ideas Celebrates "Visionary" Voices". Arts Council of Greater New Haven.
  2. ^ a b van Boeij, Boyd (16 September 2019). "'Hava, Maryam, Ayesha': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
  3. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (4 October 2019). "Afghan Film Pioneer Noori Pictures Returns to Busan With 'Hava, Maryam, Ayesha'". Variety.
  4. ^ "Afghan Cinema in Exile". 52 Documentary. Voice of America News. 9 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  5. ^ Hunter, Allan (6 September 2019). "'Hava, Maryam, Aleysha': Venice Review". Screen Daily.
  6. ^ McNary, Dave (27 September 2019). "Oscars: Afghanistan Chooses Hava, Maryam, Ayesha for International Feature Film Entry". Variety. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
  7. ^ Parfitt, Orlando (6 November 2019). "Academy responds to Nigerian Oscar entry Lionheart ruling (update)". Screen Daily. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  8. ^ Sadid, Lailuma (5 July 2023). "Sahraa Karimi : « When one of the oldest cinemas in Kabul was destroyed, I cried »". medialatitudes.be.
  9. ^ Sarker Snigdha, Puza. "18th Dhaka International Film Festival Concludes". WhatsOn.

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