The press conference for the Czech film “March to May,” directed by Martin Pavol Repka, was held on Sunday, 30 November at Honar Shahr Aftab Cineplex in Shiraz, with actor Damián Humaj attending on behalf of the director.
Screening in the International Competition section of the 43rd Fajr International Film Festival, the film tells the story of a rural family whose quiet life is upended when the elderly parents unexpectedly discover they are expecting another child, bringing moments of wonder and hope. The cast includes Zuzana Fialová, Jozef Abafi, Natália Fašánková, Jana Markovičová, and Damián Humaj.
Humaj read a letter from Repka to the festival audience, in which the director expressed his gratitude: “First, I sincerely thank the Fajr Film Festival and Dr. Rouhollah Hosseini, the festival director, for selecting our film for the competition. It is a great honor for me to have the opportunity to present my work in a country as beautiful and culturally rich as Iran.”
Repka also wrote: “For me, this presence carries a special significance as Iranian cinema was my first encounter with works that showed me cinema can go beyond mere storytelling. Especially the films of Abbas Kiarostami taught me how the passage of time and spatial composition can create a deeper, more poetic visual language. This perspective has been a major inspiration for ‘March to May.’”
Acknowledging his absence from the festival, Repka continued: “Unfortunately, I could not be here in person to introduce the film. ‘March to May’ is about a family striving to stay together, and as I recently became a father, I had responsibilities at home. I apologize for not being present but am grateful that one of the film’s main actors, Damián Humaj, could join you today.”
The director emphasized the personal nature of the project: “‘March to May’ is almost entirely drawn from my own childhood and adolescence. I have tried to capture a delicate, almost invisible moment in which a family awaits a new member—someone not yet born but already present in their hearts and minds. It is a great honor to share this work with you today; please accept my warmest regards from Prague.”
Speaking at the session, Humaj reflected on his experience: “This was my first acting role. I joined the project just three weeks before filming began, at the age of fifteen. Working with the whole team for three months, we developed a friendly and collaborative environment, which made the experience very positive.”
Humaj added: “Although I was born in a village, my family moved to the city before I turned one, so I’ve lived in the city all my life. Nevertheless, I have a fondness for rural settings. The countryside in Slovakia is very different from Iran, but I love it.”
He further explained the reception of the film in his home country: “The film depicts everyday life, which might seem slow-paced or uneventful to some viewers. However, when it screened in Slovakia, audiences appreciated it because it reflected a true representation of a Slovak family—they stayed together and cared for one another.”
The 43rd Fajr International Film Festival, taking place in Shiraz from 26 November to 3 December 2025, continues to bring together filmmakers, critics, and audiences from around the world through a diverse program of screenings, panels, and cultural events.
