Tehran Int’l Animation Festival screening 2 feature animations

The 11th Tehran International Animation Festival (TIAF) has been screening two feature animations.

‘The Last Fiction’ directed by Ashkan Rahgozar from Iran and ‘Captain Morten and the Spider Queen’ directed by Kaspar Jancis from Estonia are the only feature-length movies competing at this edition of the TIAF.

Directed by Ashkan Rahgozar, the animated film is the story of an evil figure in Iranian mythology, Zahhak. It is a free adaptation of a story from Iran’s classic literature.

Based on classic Persian literature — ‘The Shahnameh’ or ‘The Book of Kings’ by Persian poet Ferdowsi — the 100-minute animated ‘The Last Fiction’ follows the twin stories of upstart ruler Zahak, who makes a treacherous rise to the throne in Jamkard (ancient Persia), and of young hero Afaridoun, who is fated to save the kingdom’s people from the darkness.

Zahak, who made a Faustian pact to seize the throne, is now haunted by his evil deeds, and his recent nightmares prophesy that a young man he wronged in the past will rise up against him.

However, Afaridoun must first conquer his own inner demons before he can battle Zahak’s dark forces and restore peace to the kingdom.

Popular Iranian actors Akbar Zanjanpour, Hamed Behdad, Parviz Parastoui, Majid Mozaffari, and Ashkan Khatibi are among the animation voice actors.

The list goes on with Zoheir Yari, Baran Kosari, Hassan Pourshirazi, Shaqayeq Farahani, Melika Sharifinia, Farrokh Nemati, and Bita Farrahi.

The film won recognition and was presented as one of the best ongoing projects at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France.

It was also invited to the Marché du Film (lit. Film Market), which is the business counterpart of the Cannes Film Festival and one of the largest film markets in the world.

‘The Last Fiction’ has gone on screen at a number of global film events, including the 2018 Bucheon International Animation Festival in South Korea where it won the best music award, the 12th Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Australia, and the 27th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival in the US.

“Every ship deserves its captain,” a tagline for the other feature-length participant reads.

The animation ‘Captain Morten and the Spider Queen’ is about Morten, a dreamy 10-year-old boy who is magically shrunk down to the size of an insect and must learn to sail his toy boat across familiar but now dangerous surroundings.

The TIAF is a biennial held by the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children & Young Adults.

The festival aims to create an environment for the exchange of ideas and experiences through goal-oriented collection and presentation of the arts, while spotting talent and encouraging innovation amongst new comers.

The 11th edition of the TIAF has been slated for March 3-7, 2019.

MG/AG