Portraitist

This is one of the best film we ever had in our Festival. In our 7th edition it won the prize as best film, best film joung jury, best main actor and pubblic award. Thanks to the director Cyrus Neshvad.

Portraitist is a beautifully constructed drama that touches the heart with well-earned poignancy. The realistically portrayed misunderstandings between a grandfather, son, and grand-daughter use the conceit of an artist's neglect of family to power an intricate storyline and gorgeous visuals. I've seen this film three times at different festivals, and every time it's been a delight. Well worth seeing.

A previous nominee of MIWAFF, Cyrus Nevshad returns with a rather sad story about the illness of an artist's granddaughter. The film successfully portrays how the power of art can raise both the spirits of seemingly hopeless people and furthermore it shows how the practicing and learning art can form bonds between people. Art also creates legacy as the main protagonist is remembered for some of his drawing even if his fortunes were not too great as an artist. On the production side the film is very well written and very well produced with no technical faults . The acting in the movie was very good and there are English subtitles for the non-French speaking audience. Overall the film had a great story and was very well produced and is a good choice for a short film.

"Beauty is a choice" and this Franco-Luxembourgish short has married her... In the "Portraitist", in fact, the technical qualities of the direction by Cyrus Neshvad and of the photography of Jacques Raybaut and the interpretative abilities of the actors (in particular Albert Delpy, the "grandfather") are seasoned with the poetry of the script that can also be hard, as sometimes life itself can be... But the film, rather than a poetry, is a picture that slowly takes shape on the canvas and where the author's signature certainly isn't missing...

A wonderful touching short film from Cyrus Neshvad, a grandfather at the edge of despair is called to care for his dying granddaughter. Thank you Cyrus for submitting your film and keep our standard high. This short 10 out of 10.