Oscar-bound anim. to hit Iran theaters

Public screening for the award-winning Iranian animated film ‘The Last Fiction’ is set to begin Nov. 22.

Directed by Ashkan Rahgozar, the animated feature has been screened and released in the form of video on-demand (VOD) in about 32 countries including in Europe and North America since earlier this fall.

‘The Last Fiction’ is an animated account of the story of ‘Zahhak’, a tale from Iranian poet Ferdowsi’s 10th-11th century epic, The Book of Kings (Shahnameh).

Following evil ruler Zahhak’s rise to the throne in Persia, a hero named Afaridoun is committed to saving the kingdom and his people from evil, but first, he must confront his own demons before embarking on his main mission.

Winner of California’s 6th Epic ACG Festival’s Best Feature Animation in the US, ‘The Last Fiction’ is among the 32 submissions for the Animated Features category of next year’s Academy Awards.

Voice actors for the animation include many popular Iranian movie stars, among whom Parviz Parastoui, Hamed Behdad, Baran Kosari, Ashkan Khatibi, Farrokh Nemati, Hassan Pourshirazi, Majid Mozaffari, Shaqayeq Farahani, and Melika Sharifinia can be named.

Premiering at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France, ‘The Last Fiction’ has been the recipient of numerous awards at international film festivals including in the US, South Korea, Peru, and Chile.

MB/FM