Oscar for Best Short Animation Awarded to 'In the Shadow of the Cypress' by Iranian Couple

The animation 'In the Shadow of the Cypress' created by Hossein Malayemi and Shirin Soohani won the Oscar for Best Short Animation on Sunday, March 3rd. This work reached the Oscars after winning several awards from prestigious festivals such as Tribeca and Los Angeles in the USA, Spark in Canada, and Animayo in Spain. Shirin Soohani and Hossein Malayemi, a young artistic couple residing in Tehran, are graduates of a Master's program in Animation Direction from the University of Art in Tehran. 'In the Shadow of the Cypress' tells a short story about the special relationship between a war-affected father and his daughter living on the shores of the Persian Gulf. This animation has become the third work from Iran to win an Oscar, following the films 'A Separation' and 'The Salesman.' After being listed in the preliminary nominees for the Oscar, Hossein Malayemi and Shirin Soohani spoke with Voice of America about this work and their activities. The production and development process of 'In the Shadow of the Cypress,' which lasted six and a half years, was entirely funded by these two filmmakers. The 97th Academy Awards ceremony is being held on Sunday, March 3rd in Los Angeles, hosted by comedian and television host Conan O'Brien. Renowned Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof is also nominated for the 'Best International Film' category with his film 'The Fig Tree Seed,' which is representing Germany in this edition. Amir Giti's report from the red carpet ahead of the 97th Academy Awards highlights reactions to Mohammad Rasoulof's presence at the Oscars: 'The voice of the Iranian people.' Political and financial obstacles hinder the artistic couple behind 'In the Shadow of the Cypress.' Rasoulof stated: 'The Iranian government will issue a ruling against Soheila Golestani after the Oscars.'