Iranian doc wins big at Japanese fest

The Toyo University Tourism Short Film Festival in Japan has bestowed an award upon Iranian short documentary film ‘We Are Not Venice’.

Directed by Komeil Soheili, the doc is has been honored with the first Jury Award of the Japanese event’s first edition which was held online on November 28.

‘We Are Not Venice’ investigates the cultural problems that tourism may cause. It looks at all the changes that visitors can bring about to locals’ values and priorities.

The film shows a village in Iran, where the construction of any hotels has been forbidden. Local residents of the area believe that having hotels may modify their culture, so they would rather host the tourists in their homes to keep their tradition of hospitality alive. However, the younger generation is open to all changes for their financial benefits.

The doc has already been screened at a number of global events, including the Terres Travel Festival-Films and Creativity in Spain and the Galichnik Film Festival in Macedonia.

The short film event has been held on the theme of ‘Tourism and Sustainable Society’ by the Toyo University Graduate School of International Tourism.

AA/FM