TEHRAN –Three Iranian movies have received nominations at the first edition of the Golden Panda Awards, which will be held in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province, China, on Sept 19 and 20. 

“Yadu” by Mehdi Jafari has been nominated in TV drama section, while “Kal Fatemeh” by Mehdi Zamanpur Kiasari has received the nomination in the documentary section of the event. 

Moreover, “No Substitute” by Abdollah Alimorad will be competing in the animation section of the event. 

“Yadu” is about the first months of the Iraqi imposed war on Iran. At a time when families in different cities of Khuzestan were forced to leave their homes and all their attachments and took refuge in other cities to save their lives.

“Kal Fatemeh” is about a woman with a speech impediment who lives on her own farm away from the village with her two sons. She runs the farm and rears cattle for a living, meeting many challenges. She grieves over her daughter’s situation, as she has had an unhappy past.

“No Substitute” tells the story of a hardworking camel that tirelessly turns the millstone in the old mill. However, one day, the camel falls ill, making it impossible for him to continue working. The miller, desperate for a solution, tries to find a replacement for the camel. 

The Golden Panda Awards is organized by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Sichuan provincial government. 

Zhang Yimou, the prominent director renowned for his exquisite filmmaking skills, has been selected as the President of the jury for the Golden Panda Awards.

Having received numerous awards such as Venice's Golden Lion and Berlin's Golden Bear, two of the highest honors in the global film industry, he has been appointed as jury president for the Golden Panda Awards, which will be presented biennially.

The foreign jurors, constituting at least 40 percent of the committee, will join Zhang Yimou in selecting the winners, further highlighting the international scope of the event.

The event aims to boost cultural exchange between China and the world.

Photo: A scene from “Kal Fatemeh” by Mehdi Zamanpur Kiasari

SAB/