Announcement of Winners of Kiarostami Short Film Festival; Hamed Soleiman-Zadeh: The Goal is to Support Independent Cinema

The first International Short Film Festival named after Abbas Kiarostami, held simultaneously in Germany and Iran, concluded with the announcement of the selected filmmakers and works of this edition. This cinematic festival took place from July 2 to July 4, showcasing 47 short films in Tehran and Berlin, and received a favorable reception from filmmakers, especially young artists. According to the organizers, they aim to create an independent and private space for film screenings in Iran. The festival's goal, while preserving the memory, name, and legacy of Abbas Kiarostami, is to support cinema and independent filmmakers so that they have a voice in the current closed cultural conditions in Iran. Hamed Soleiman-Zadeh, a writer, film critic, and the festival's secretary, told Voice of America: 'We tried to focus on three key principles in the first edition of the International Short Film Festival named after Abbas Kiarostami, namely the independence of cinema, respect for cultural, ethnic, linguistic, gender, religious diversity, etc., and attention to the narrative and stylistic features of Kiarostami's cinema and the continuation of his path.' According to Mr. Soleiman-Zadeh, based on feedback from Iranian and non-Iranian audiences, the festival was 'largely' successful in implementing these key principles. Hamed Soleiman-Zadeh stated that this is the first independent festival held simultaneously in Berlin and Tehran, mentioning that the film screenings in Tehran were private and only attended by the cast and crew of the works and special guests. He added that the closing ceremony on July 4 was held symbolically at the grave of Abbas Kiarostami in Tok Mazraeh, which itself is a sign of independence and a movement against the official cultural currents in Iran. Hamed Soleiman-Zadeh noted: 'In the first edition of the festival, we received 922 short films from 26 countries, which I believe is an unprecedented number for new festivals. Another important point is the presence of 14 female filmmakers as directors in the competition section.' In addition to Iranian filmmakers, filmmakers from Sweden, France, Germany, and Kazakhstan also participated in the festival and took part in special Q&A sessions. The judges for the first edition of the International Short Film Festival named after Abbas Kiarostami included Shoukat Vardanyan, Melina Zayovich, Maryam Moghadam, Hamed Bahador, Bogdan Muresanu, Behtash Sanaeiha, and Majid Barzegar. Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeiha are Iranian filmmakers who were recently banned from leaving the country by the Islamic Republic due to their film 'My Favorite Cake.' The festival's trophy, symbolizing this cinematic event, is shaped like a cherry, awarded in three categories: the Golden Cherry for Best Film, the Silver Cherry for the second film, and the Bronze Cherry for the third film. The main winners of the first International Short Film Festival named after Abbas Kiarostami are: - Golden Cherry along with a certificate and a cash prize of 500 euros for the film 'Along with the Wind' directed by Mehdi Razi - Silver Cherry along with a certificate and a cash prize of 400 euros for the film 'Goodbye Turtle' directed by Selin Oksuzoglu - Bronze Cherry along with a certificate and a cash prize of 300 euros for the film 'Forced Swimming' directed by Nasim Nasirzadeh.