TEHRAN-The Iranian animated film “Romashka, the Pilot” co-directed by Hossein Saffarzadegan, Meisam Hosseini, and Hossein Panahi Dorcheh has been screened in Kazakhstan.

This marks the first public screening of an Iranian animated film in Kazakhstan and can be a beginning in bilateral cooperation in the cinema industry of the two countries, IRNA reported.

“Romashka, the Pilot” premiered at IMAX Esentai Mall in Almaty last week, with Iran’s Consul General Mohsen Faghani and Cultural Attaché Hossein Aghazadeh in attendance, and received high praise from Kazakh audiences for its quality.

Faghani expressed his delight at the screening of the first Iranian animation in Kazakhstan and said, “These activities not only introduce Iranian culture and art but also strengthen the relations between the two countries.”

For his part, Aghazadeh said: “We seek to strengthen the historical ties and enduring friendship between the societies of Iran and Kazakhstan, and foster the growth of cultural economy between the two countries by building on these cultural relations.”

The animation has been shown in Kazakh cinemas since August 29 and will remain on screen until September 12, marking a significant step in Iranian-Kazakh cinematic collaboration.

A production of 2023, “Romashka, the Pilot” is an 80-minute adventure comedy animation for kids. Also known as “Woolina and the No Birds,” it premiered in Iran at the 42nd Fajr International Film Festival in February.

Its story revolves around the main character's dream of flying and the collective efforts of friends to achieve it. A young sheep dreams of flying, but she lives in a world where only birds are allowed to fly airplanes and soar the skies. With the world and her father against her, she and her friends follow in the footsteps of her favorite heroic character, Super Owl, fighting against all odds to join a flight school and enter the race that will change their lives forever.

SS/SAB