TEHRAN-The Iranian short animated movie “In the Shadow of Cypress,” co-directed by Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani won two awards at the 12th Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology (PFCAT), held in the U.S. from August 21 to 25.

A production of the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (known as Kanoon), the animated movie won two silver awards in the categories of Best 2D Animated Short and Best Score in a Short Animation, Kanoon website reported.

Made in 2023, “In the Shadow of Cypress” depicts a former captain suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder who lives with his daughter in a humble house located by the sea. Together, they live isolated from the world and must confront the challenges of their situation. One morning, their lives change forever when an unforeseen event occurs.

The animation has so far grabbed three major international awards from Academy Award-Qualifying Festivals.

Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology was founded in 2002 with the mission to find visionary films that often have been overlooked. Formerly known as The International Festival of Cinema & Technology (IFCT), the festival rebranded in 2022 to reflect its new home in Portland.

PFCAT embraces cutting-edge technology and its role in modern filmmaking. In addition to 150+ film screenings in two theaters and the annual award ceremony, the festival includes various networking events, panel discussions, and screenings in the Kendall Planetarium.

SS/SAB