Valinejad then highlighted his collaboration with director Mohammad Hossein Mahdaviyan on “Midnight,” expressing his wish to share the honor. “We were together in this work,” he said, “and therefore I want him to be with me in this Simorgh.” However, despite his repeated insistence, Mahdaviyan initially declined to accept the award on stage.
This unexpected hesitation created a brief pause in the ceremony. It was at this point that Manouchehr Shahsavari, the festival secretary, intervened. He announced that the Simorgh in this category would officially be awarded to both the producer and the director. Following this clarification, Mohammad Hossein Mahdaviyan was invited to the stage to receive the director’s Simorgh. After Shahsavari’s formal announcement, Mahdaviyan accepted the award, and the two collaborators stood together in recognition of their shared work.
The ceremony then moved toward one of its most anticipated announcements: the Best Film award. The Crystal Simorgh for Best Film was presented to Manouchehr Mohammadi for “Land of Angels.” The film had been among the most discussed entries of the festival, praised for its production scale and thematic ambition. Mohammadi’s acceptance speech was brief, focused mainly on gratitude toward the cast, crew, and supporters who had contributed to the project.
