TEHRAN – Iranian short animations “The Fourth Wall” and “Up to the Sea, She Weaves a Dream” will compete in the 16th Animest International Animation Film Festival, which will take place in Bucharest, Romania from October 8 to 17. 

In “The Fourth Wall” directed by Mahbubeh Kalai, home and family, relationships, desires, wishes and everything are summarized in a kitchen, where a stuttering boy is alone there, playing with his imagination.

The movie has been screened in many international festivals and has won several honors, including the Zlatko Grgic Award at the 31st Animafest Zagreb in Croatia in June.

“Up to the Sea, She Weaves a Dream” by Maryam Khalilzadeh shows that in any war, there is always a soldier who is lost and the women who are waiting for him to return. The dreams these women weave carry them to the farthest seas. Knowing there is no return, they weave and weave to treat the wounds of war.

Both films have been produced at the Documentary and Experimental Film Center.

Founded in 2006, the Animest International Animation Film Festival is Romania’s only event dedicated to animated films. 

It gathers films from all over the world in six competitive categories for both short and feature films, holds ample retrospectives and focuses on various countries, animation studios and film schools. 

Every year, it welcomes Bucharest international filmmakers, producers, festival programmers and journalists. 

Workshops, masterclasses, special events, concerts and parties are open to the festival guests and audience.

The Festival Trophy is presented every year to one of the films competing in the short film competition, and is chosen by an international professional jury.

Animest is an Oscar-qualifying festival. The recipient of an Animest Trophy is eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film category of the Academy Awards.

The festival’s mission to reinvigorate and support the Romanian animation film industry has had an impact on the awards and participation of local animation filmmakers in international film festivals and events.

Photo: “Up to the Sea, She Weaves a Dream” by Iranian director Maryam Khalilzadeh.

MMS/YAW