​​​​​​​TEHRAN-The 43rd Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF) concluded on Tuesday night, with an awards ceremony held at the Honar Shahr Aftab Cineplex in Shiraz, Fars Province.

According to the festival website, the closing night brought together senior officials, including the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyed Abbas Salehi, the Head of the Iranian Cinema Organization Raed Faridzadeh, and the Governor of Fars Province Hossein Ali Amiri, along with filmmakers, industry professionals, and media representatives.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Culture Minister welcomed Pakistan's Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, high-ranking cinema delegations from 15 countries, ambassadors residing in Iran, and distinguished guests from across Iran and around the world, and said: “The Fajr International Film Festival is an opportunity to reflect on an art that, for years, has taught us to see differently, an art that gives us the courage to imagine and frames narratives with meaning.”

Salehi referred to current global issues and said: “Our nation has shared the suffering of the oppressed people of Palestine and Gaza, and just a few months ago experienced the difficult days of war. In the 12-day war initiated by the child-killing Zionist regime, the brave sons of this land sacrificed their lives in defense of Iran’s security and dignity.”

Referring to the role of cinema in such circumstances, he added: “In times like these, art cannot remain silent, and cinema can be the narrator of this resistance. It can preserve these wounds and these acts of bravery so that the collective memory of Iran and the world remains bright and enduring.”

“The Fajr International Film Festival shows how cinema can shorten distances and enable dialogue between nations. The presence of filmmakers and guests from various countries demonstrates that today’s world, more than ever, needs honest, humane, and thoughtful narratives,” he added.

“In this setting, as a member of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, I must stress that we believe that despite differences of opinion, our shared values should serve as the starting point for international cooperation and joint cinematic productions. Shared experiences, whether in creating works or in research and development, open new gateways for exchanging knowledge, technology, and artistic vision. Iranian cinema is ready to take longer and more confident steps on this path,” he emphasized.

During the ceremony, Reza Mirkarimi, acclaimed Iranian director and screenwriter and former secretary of the Fajr International Film Festival, was honored for his contributions to cinema.

This year’s festival presented awards across four competitive sections, International Competition, Eastern Vista (Films from Asia), Future Frame (First and Second Films), and Broken Olive Branch.

In the International Competition section, the Crystal Simorgh for Best Film was awarded to “Lesson Learned” directed by Balint Szimler from Hungary and “River Returns” directed by Masakazu Kaneko from Japan received the Crystal Simorgh for the Special Jury Award.

The Crystal Simorgh awards for Best Director and Best Script were awarded to Martin Pavol Repka for the film “March to May” from the Czech Republic, and Elena Kiseleva and Andrey Konchalovskiy for the film “Look at Me” from Russia, respectively.

The Crystal Simorgh for Best Artistic Contribution was presented to Ahmed Malek, the young actor of the film “My Father’s Scent,” a co-production of Egypt, Norway, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and France, directed by Mohamed Siam.

In the Eastern Vista section, the Crystal Simorgh for Best Film was awarded to “Where the White Cranes Dance” directed by Michael Lukachevsky from Russia.

The Crystal Simorgh for the Special Jury Award was presented to “The Settlement” directed by Mohamed Rashad from Egypt, Qatar, Germany, France, and Saudi Arabia.

The Crystal Simorgh for Artistic Contribution went to Behnoush Sadeghi, director of “Calm Man” from Iran, for her achievement in successfully orchestrating the interaction of the film’s creative elements, from acting to cinematography to set and costume design.

“In the Belly of a Tiger” directed by Jatla Siddartha from India received a Special Mention in this section.

In the Future Frame section, the Crystal Simorgh for Best Film was jointly awarded to “Round 13” directed by Mohamed Ali Nahdi from Tunisia and “Two Faces of Autumn” by Ronak Taher from Iran, Australia, and Canada.

The Crystal Simorgh for the Special Jury Award is awarded to “Riverstone” by Lalith Rathnayake from Sri Lanka.

In the Broken Olive Branch section, the jury presented the Crystal Simorgh for Best Film to “All That’s Left of You” directed by Cherien Dabis, a co-production of Germany, Cyprus, Palestine, Jordan, Greece, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

The Special Jury Award went to “From Ground Zero” by Rashid Masharawi, a co-production of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, France, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, and Denmark, for its powerful and convincing depiction of the lived reality and suffering endured over the past two years, seen through the lenses of 22 artists from Gaza.

“Valley of Exile” by Anna Fahr from Canada and Lebanon received a Special Mention in this section for its notable visionary style.
 

Photo: Acclaimed Iranian filmmaker and former secretary of the Fajr International Film Festival Reza Mirkarimi (R) was honored for his contributions to cinema at the closing ceremony of the 43rd FIFF in Shiraz on December 2, 2025.

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