Shayda (film)

Last updated

Shayda
Shayda (film) poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Noora Niasari
Written byNoora Niasari
Produced by
Starring
CinematographySherwin Akbarzadeh
Edited byElika Rezaee
Production
companies
Distributed by Madman Films
Release dates
  • 19 January 2023 (2023-01-19)(Sundance)
  • 5 October 2023 (2023-10-05)(Australia)
Running time
118 minutes [1]
CountryAustralia
Languages
  • English
  • Persian
Box office$286,573 [2] [3]

Shayda is a 2023 Australian drama film written, directed and co-produced by Noora Niasari. The film stars Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Osamah Sami, Mojean Aria, Jillian Nguyen, Rina Mousavi, Selina Zahednia, and Leah Purcell. The story follows an Iranian immigrant woman in Australia who is raising her young daughter as the two live in a women's shelter.

Contents

The film had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on 19 January 2023, and was released in Australia on 5 October 2023. It was selected as the Australian entry for the Best International Feature Film category for the 2024 Academy Awards.

Plot

Inspired by Niasari's childhood experiences, the story follows an Iranian immigrant woman in Australia who is raising her young daughter as the two live in a women's shelter, while also attempting to divorce from her abusive husband. It takes place during the Nowruz (Persian New Year) holiday period, sometime in the 1990s. [4] [5]

Cast

The cast includes: [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]

Release

Shayda had its World Premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on 19 January 2023, where it won the Audience Award in the World Cinema Dramatic competition. [11] [12] [13] In February 2023, Sony Pictures Classics acquired distribution rights to the film for North America and other international markets. [14] In August 2023, it was screened as the opening film in the Melbourne International Film Festival for its Australian premiere, and it closed the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. It is also scheduled for screening at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. [15] It was also invited at the 28th Busan International Film Festival in 'Flash Forward' section and was screened on 8 October 2023. [16]

The film was selected in country focus section 'Best of Contemporary Australian Cinema' at the 29th Kolkata International Film Festival held from 5 December to 12 December 2023. [17]

It was scheduled to be released in cinemas in Australia by Madman Films on 28 September 2023, [15] before it was released by a week later on 5 October 2023. [18] The film is scheduled to be released by Vertigo Releasing in the United Kingdom on 8 March 2024. [1] It was released in the United States on 1 March 2024. [19]

Reception

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 97% of 96 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.6/10.The website's consensus reads: "An understated yet impactful story of female empowerment. Shayda establishes first-time feature filmmaker Noora Niasari as a remarkably assured talent." [20] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 76 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. [21]

Shayda was selected, on 30 August 2023, as the Australian entry to the Best International Feature Film category for the 2024 Academy Awards in the United States. [15] [22]

Accolades

Shayda won the CinefestOZ Film Prize Western Australia in September 2023, worth A$100,000. [23] [24] The prize is the largest cash film prize in Australia, and one of the largest in the world. [25]

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
Sundance Film Festival 27 January 2023 Audience Award – World Cinema Dramatic CompetitionNoora NiasariWon [26]
Grand Jury Prize – World Cinema Dramatic CompetitionNominated
Directors Guild of America Awards 10 February 2024 Outstanding Directing – First-Time Feature Film Noora NiasariNominated [27]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "Shayda (15)". BBFC . 26 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "Shayda". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved 12 May 2024. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  3. ↑ "Shayda". The Numbers . Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  4. ↑ Gates, Marya E. (6 December 2023). "Female Filmmakers in Focus: Noora Niasari on Shayda | Interviews | Roger Ebert". rogerebert.com/. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  5. ↑ Ma, Wenlei (1 October 2023). "Shayda director Noora Niasari on family violence, Iranian liberation and taking her first film to the Oscars". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  6. ↑ Kasule, Melissa (23 May 2022). "Hanway Films board international sales on Noora Niasari's 'Shayda'". Screen. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  7. ↑ Villei, Matt (22 May 2022). "'Shayda': Zar Amir-Ebrahimi Cast in Noora Niasari's Feature Film Debut". Collider. Archived from the original on 14 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  8. ↑ Ritman, Alex (22 May 2022). "'Holy Spider' Star Zar Amir-Ebrahimi to Lead Noora Niasari's 'Shayda' for Origma 45, Cate Blanchett's Dirty Films (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 29 May 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  9. ↑ Barraclough, Leo (13 July 2021). "Krasnoff/Foster, Sister Partner on 'Raya,' Noora Niasari to Adapt Novel, Direct". Variety. Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  10. ↑ jkeast (7 October 2022). "Mojean Aria on returning to Australia for 'Shayda', working with Antonio Banderas in 'The Enforcer'". IF Magazine. Archived from the original on 14 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  11. ↑ Thomas, Megan (7 December 2022). "Sundance Film Festival lineup revealed". CNN. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  12. ↑ "Noora Niasari's feature film debut Shayda announced". Screen Australia . Archived from the original on 14 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
  13. ↑ "Program Guide". Sundance Film Festival . Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
  14. ↑ "Sony Pictures Classics takes Sundance award winner 'Shayda'". Screendaily. 14 February 2023. Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  15. 1 2 3 Slatter, Sean (31 August 2023). "Noora Niasari's 'Shayda' submitted for Best International Feature Oscar". IF Magazine. Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  16. ↑ "The 28th Busan International Film Festival: Selection List". Busan International Film Festival. 5 September 2023. Archived from the original on 15 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  17. ↑ "Best of Contemporary Australian Cinema". Kolkata International Film Festival. 30 November 2023. Archived from the original on 11 January 2024. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  18. ↑ Dalgarno, Paul (31 August 2023). "Shayda chosen as Australia's Oscar hopeful in 2024". ScreenHub. Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
  19. ↑ "Shayda". Movie Insider. 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  20. ↑ "Shayda". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved 17 December 2023. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  21. ↑ "Shayda". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  22. ↑ Tartaglione, Nancy (30 August 2023). "Oscars: Australia Submits Sundance Prize Winner 'Shayda' For Best International Feature Race". Deadline. Archived from the original on 30 August 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  23. ↑ Slatter, Sean (3 September 2023). "Noora Niasari's 'Shayda' wins $100,000 CinefestOZ prize". IF Magazine . Archived from the original on 3 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  24. ↑ Keating, Rebecca (26 August 2021). "Every reason you need to go to CinefestOZ Film Festival in magical Margaret River". Urban List. Archived from the original on 2 September 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  25. ↑ "'Nitram' Claims First Prize At in-Person CinefestOZ Festival". Variety. 30 August 2021. Archived from the original on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  26. ↑ Donnelly, Matt; Debruge, Peter (27 January 2023). "Sundance Winners: 'A Thousand and One' Takes U.S. Dramatic Jury Prize (Complete List)". Variety. Archived from the original on 27 January 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  27. ↑ "DGA Announces Nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film for 2023". Directors Guild of America. 10 January 2024. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
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