The restored film was screened this year in the Classics section at Venice and ultimately received the award for Best Film in the category.
This year, the Venice Classics section showcases the world premieres of 18 restored cinematic masterpieces from different countries. These films have been reconstructed over the past year by archives, cultural institutions, and production companies.
Bashu, the Little Stranger, originally made in 1986 by Bahram Beyzai, was restored by Roshana Studio with the support of the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (Kanoon) and presented at the Venice Festival by the French company MK2 Films.
The film is considered one of the enduring and significant works of Iranian cinema. It tells the story of a young boy from southern Iran, Bashu, who loses his family during the Iran-Iraq war. Displaced by bombings and insecurity, he boards a truck that eventually takes him to northern Iran. In a lush village in Gilan, a farmer woman named Nai (played by Soosan Taslimi) finds him and brings him into her home.
