TEHRAN – Iranian director Ashkan Rahgozar’s acclaimed movie “The Last Fiction” is among the 32 submitted for consideration in the animated feature film category for the 92nd Academy Awards.

This is the first Iranian animation ever selected as a submission to the race, Hoorakhsh Studio, which is the producer of the movie, said on Saturday. 

The submissions also include “Ne Zha” by Yu Yang from China and “Weathering with You” by Makoto Shinkai from Japan. 

Popular American productions including “The Angry Birds Movie 2” by Thurop Van Orman, “Frozen 2” co-directed by Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, “The Lego Movie 2” by Mike Mitchell, “The Secret Life of Pets 2” by Chris Renaud and “Toy Story 4” by Josh Cooley are also among the films.

“The Last Fiction” started its world premiere on September 1 in Sweden, Finland, Norway, the U.S., Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Spain, Greece, Albania, Serbia, Romania, Slovenia and several other countries.

It is currently on screen at Hollywood’s Arena Cinelounge until October 24 for its Los Angeles seven-day qualifying run to become eligible for awards consideration. 

The movie will soon be screened at Iranian theaters as well. 

“The Last Fiction” recounts a story from Persian poet Ferdowsi’s epic masterpiece Shahnameh. It is about Zahak’s treacherous rise to the throne in Jamshid in Persia. The young and naive hero Afaridoun will have to save the kingdom and its people from darkness. But he must first conquer his own demons in this portrayal of Persian mythology that reveals human nature.

An all-star cast including Parviz Parastui, Leila Hatami, Hamed Behdad, Baran Kowsari, Ashkan Khatibi, Akbar Zanjanpur and Farrokh Nemati have lent their voices to the characters in the production.

The world-renowned Iranian vocalist Shahram Nazeri has sung the closing credits song in the movie, which has been acclaimed at several prestigious Iranian and international events.

The film went on screen in a non-competitive section of Annecy in 2018 and it was named best animated film at the 37th Fajr Film Festival in Tehran in February.

Earlier in August, the Iranian documentary “Finding Farideh” was selected as Iran’s submission to the 92nd Academy Awards in the best foreign-language film category.

Co-directed by Azadeh Musavi and Kurosh Atai, the film is about a Netherland-based Iranian woman who was adopted by a Dutch couple forty years ago, and returns to Iran to search for her family.

The nominations for the 92nd Academy Awards will be announced on January 13, 2020 and the Oscars will be presented on February 9 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California.

Photo: A scene from “The Last Fiction” by Iranian director Ashkan Rahgozar.

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