TEHRAN-Three Iranian short animations are present at the 45th edition of the Festival of 3 Continents in Nantes, France, which was launched on November 24 and will run through December 3.

The flicks are included in the program of three Iranian short films presented at the First Steps Towards the 3 Continents section of the festival along with two more works from Brazil and Senegal, IRNA reported.

“The Rainbow Fish” directed by Farkhondeh Torabi, “Shangoul and Mangoul” by Farkhondeh Torabi and Seid Morteza Ahadi, and “Lili Lili Little Pool” by the late Vajihollah Fard-Moghadam are the short animated films from Iran at the French event, which all have been produced by the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA).

The three stories are full of tenderness and emotion on the theme of the family, whose heroes are made from fabric, wool or paper cut-outs. They show a magical world inspired by Persian traditions.

The First Steps Towards the 3 Continents section offers a selection of films for children ages three and up and their families. This special selection for kids will also be made available to pre-school and primary-school classes in Nantes and throughout the Loire-Atlantique region, with special educational materials.

The IIDCYA is an Iranian institution with a wide range of cultural and artistic activities in the field of mental and cultural development for children and young adults. The organization is the platform through which many of Iran's most regarded filmmakers and artists, such as Abbas Kiarostami and Morteza Momayez and launched their careers.

The Festival of 3 Continents is underway with a wide range of dramas and documentaries from Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Its program includes some 90 feature films, many of which are premiered at the event.

In addition to the official selection of recent films, the festival hosts a homage to pioneer Senegalese filmmaker Safi Faye, a retrospective of prolific Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui, an anthology of Vietnamese cinema covering three decades (1970, 1980, 1990), blockbusters of popular Indian cinema from the 70s and 80s interpreted by superstar actor Amitabh Bachchan, and a program on the theme of memory.

SS/SAB