Mahdi Khorramdel*
15th Cinema Verite film festival as the most important documentary film festival in Iran and the middle east had a downward trend compared to the previous two years in almost every aspect. One can blame the Covid pandemic, financial sources’ reduction, and increased risk for documentary production for the decrease of high-quality documentaries.
But one should consider the effect of the festival’s choice for screening the documentaries online, which puts them at risk of being leaked. This decision has caused many filmmakers to withdraw their works from the festival in fear of potential piracy.
At a time when people around the world are concerned about climate change, “Surviving Fortress” hints that the way out of this international crisis is to return to the roots, and Qanat, as one of the oldest methods of water distribution is one of these roots. The title of this documentary, which refers to the survival of the fortress, also implicitly refers to Morteza’s thirty years of endurance and the path he has taken. Regardless of the extent to which we agree with this judgment, I can emphasize that the documentary we are dealing with is worth watching.
*Mr. Khorramdel is Director of Multimedia Office & Culture Editor in TABNAK.com he is a Filmmaker and independent film critic.