Speechless Film Festival honors Iranian ‘Alphabet’

The 2019 edition of the Speechless Film Festival in the US has honored Iranian animation ‘Alphabet’ as Best of Fest, Animation/Experimental.

Directed by Kianoush Abedi, ‘Alphabet’ is a 3D animated production of Iran's Documentary and Experimental Film Center in late 2017.

The 6-minute animated piece depicts a nation that has forgotten the alphabet of living. They cannot see, hear, or speak, but the words are waiting for them eagerly.

‘Alphabet’ has so far joined some international film events, winning a number of awards, including awards at the 5th Sayulita Film Festival in Mexico, the 6th Speechless Film Festival as well as the 15th Southside Film Festival in the US, the 5th Tripoli Film Festival in Lebanon, the 7th Nebrodi Film Festival in Italy, the 4th Muestra Movimiento International Film Festival in Mexico, the 4th Miami Widescreen Film Festival in the US, and the 11th Iranian Film Festival in San Francisco, the US.

Most recently, it won best animated movie award at the 2018 Revolution Me Film Festival and Best Animation Award at the 2018 Artists Forum Festival of the Moving Image, both in the US, as well as Best Animation Award at the 8th International Educative and Spiritual Film Festival in Spain.

Nominated for Best Animation Award at the 2nd Norwegian International Seagull Short Film Festival, it has also gone on screen at some global film events, including the 4th Still Voices Short Film Festival in Ireland, the 17th Hiroshima International Animation Festival in Japan, the 10th Ortigia International Film Festival in Italy, and the 2nd Palm Springs International short Film Festival as well as the 2018 North Dakota Human Rights Film & Arts Festival, both in the US.

The Speechless Film Festival is a 3-day multimedia event that showcases local and international artists. Its mission is to foster cross-cultural engagement through the celebration of visual storytelling, a creative endeavor rooted deeply in the history of cinema.

The 7th edition of the annual film event was held on March 29-30, 2019.

MG/MG