TEHRAN-Iranian shorts “Ava’s Silence” and “Recreation” will compete at the 54th edition of the Humboldt International Film Festival, which will open today in the U.S. county.

Directed by Gholamreza Nematpur, “Ava’s Silence” is about a young girl Ava, who has to work in her father’s auto shop as a mechanic because of her father’s illness. She is looking forward to her brother returning from military service in a border area so she can get married to her fiancé Abbas.

“Recreation” by Navid Nikkhah-Azad tells the story of Sahar, a rebel who decides to run away from school, disguise herself and go to a football game.

The movies will be competing with “God’s Daughter Dances” by Sungbin Byun from South Korea, Hands Up” by Angela White,  “Dandelion” by Jae Staten and “Alina” by Rami Kodeih, all from the U.S.

The Humboldt International Film Festival is the oldest student-run film festival in the world. It has been bringing independent and alternative short films together for several years.

The festival will be running until April 25.

Photo: A scene from “Ava’s Silence” by Gholamreza Nematpur.

ABU/MG