TEHRAN-Five films from Iran will participate in the 47th Moscow International Film Festival (MIFF), set to be held in Moscow, Russia, from April 17 to 24.

The feature film “For Rana” directed by Iman Yazdi, short film “After Father” by Noushin Meraji, documentary “Trick” by Jafar Sadeghi, and short animated films “Glory” by Mahdi Barqzadegan and “Holy Heaviness” directed by Farnoosh Abedi and Negah Fardiar are the works from Iran selected to be screened in the event, Honaronline reported.

Made in 2025, “Holy Heaviness,” nine minutes, deals with the unbearable lightness of the death of loved ones. There are wounds in life that eat away at you like leprosy. The weight of the death of loved ones sometimes becomes so overwhelming that getting rid of this weight is inevitable.

“Glory” is a production of 2024. The 12-minute flick depicts a man who emerges from a ruined and sandy civilization. Captivated by the beauty of the stars, he creates a new civilization in the heart of the mountain. In the process, he discovers art.

“Trick” was produced in 2024. The 103-minute documentary is about yesterday’s impossible dreams of children in a poor region of Iran, which have become their goals today, after 10 years, thanks to the efforts of a wrestling coach.

“For Rana” is a 2024 drama, running for 87 minutes. In the movie, hearing that the heart of an old man, who would die if taken off the respirator, would be good for a transplant to Rana, the parents meet the old man’s new wife and son to plead. The son, who is in a dispute over the old man’s inheritance, demands money for the heart transplant.

“After Father” was made in 2024. The 19-minute film revolves around a young girl whose grief over her father’s death runs so deep that she’s ready to blame those closest to her.

Moscow International Film Festival is one of the oldest world film forums (the second after the Venice Film Festival). 

The MIFF has been leading its history since 1935. Then the chairman of the jury was Sergey Eisenstein, however, in subsequent years the festival was not held regularly. Therefore, it has officially counted down since 1959, when it was renewed and turned into a regular event - it was carried out over odd years, alternating with the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. In 1999, the MIFF became an annual event.

The festival's top prize is the statue of Saint George slaying the dragon, as represented on the Coat of Arms of Moscow. Nikita Mikhalkov has been the festival's president since 2000.

SS/SAB