TEHRAN – The documentary “Singing Wings” by Iranian director Hemen Khaledi won an award at the 30th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), held from September 17 to 26 in South Korea.

A joint production of Iran, Georgia, and Belgium, the movie grabbed the BIFF Mecenat Award, which is given to exceptional Korean and Asian documentaries in the Wide Angle Competition. Each winner is awarded KRW 10,000,000 ($7,100) as funding for their next production, ISNA reported.

Produced in 2025, the 73-minute documentary is about Khadijeh, a 78-year-old Kurdish woman from Iran, who has two pressing tasks - one, to care for a stork whose wings were injured by high-voltage wires and left behind; and two, to dissuade her daughter from emigrating to the UK. 

In her mind, there is no contradiction between helping the wounded bird migrate and preventing her own daughter from migrating. It’s just that they cannot be achieved by willpower alone. And of the two, changing her daughter’s mind is far more difficult. 

“Singing Wings” follows Khadijeh’s busy life, set against the picturesque Kurdistan, a stork habitat. The elderly woman’s innate sense of humor and cheerful optimism, which will draw smiles from audiences, are the driving force and heart of this film. 

Khaledi, a native of this region, chooses not to dwell on the Kurdish people’s hardships, but instead to bring their pure spirit and simple way of life to the screen in the best possible light. It is a fable that unfolds in a world of fairy tales.

The director has chosen a slow-paced narrative to reflect the unhurried rhythm of village life as he knows it. The project description contrasts the picturesque beauty of the Iranian Kurdistan villages and their serene natural surroundings with the challenges faced by the characters.

Hemen Khaledi is a Kurdish filmmaker from Shno, Kurdistan Province. “Singing Wings” is his first feature documentary as a director. During its production, the project received the “Cat & Docs Award” at the FIPADOC’s pitching program.

Dedicated to discovering and showcasing exceptional Korean and Asian films, Busan International Film Festival brings exceptional films to global audiences while solidifying Busan’s identity as a mecca for film and visual culture in Asia.

Widely regarded as Asia's acclaimed film festival, the BIFF plays a pivotal role in shaping the region’s cinematic landscape and has risen to stand proudly alongside renowned film festivals worldwide.

SS/SAB