Iran has nominated Reza Mirkarimi’s “Nakban Shab” (The Night Watchman) for the 2024 Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

The film, which was shown last year, deals with the rough and tough life of Rasool, a rural laborer trying to earn a living in the capital Tehran.

The Farabi Film Foundation announced on Tuesday that the nominating committee had “chosen Reza Mirgarimi’s Naqban Shop to represent Iranian cinema at the 2024 Academy Awards.”

“The Night Watchman” will be among the films seeking to qualify for the semifinals in the Best Foreign Film category from dozens of nominations from various countries around the world. The Academy will assign five works to the final shortlist. Who won the award?

Mirkarimi (age 56) won the Best Film Award for “So Far, Soon” at the Fajr Film Festival in Tehran in 2005, while his film “Today” was nominated for the Academy Awards in 2005.

Almost every year since 1994, the Farabi Foundation has selected an Iranian film to be in the Oscar race.

Last year, Iran nominated director Hooman Sidi’s “World War III” to be represented in the Oscar race.

Famous Iranian director Asghar Farhadi has won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film twice, the first for “Separation” in 2011 and the second for “The Salesman” in 2017.

(AFP)