TEHRAN-Four short animations from Iran will be shown at the 28th Animac International Animated Film Festival, which will be held from February 15 to 18 in Lleida, Spain.

“Anita, Lost in the News” directed by Behzad Nalbandi, “Our Uniform” by Yeganeh Moghaddam, “Phoenix” by Mona Shams, and “In the Shadow of Cypress” co-directed by Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani are the four Iranian animated films at the festival, ILNA reported.

“Anita, Lost in the News” is a 15-minute animation made in 2023.  Created using puppets made from newspaper clippings, it is about a Kurdish-Iranian family of four who died in the sinking of a migrant boat in the English Channel in 2020. 

At the time of the tragedy, there were ten more people on board than the vessel could hold. One of the victims was nine-year-old Anita, from whose perspective we follow the story.

The seven-minute “Our Uniform” is one of the five nominees in the category of Best Animated Short at the Oscars 2024. 

In the short flick, an Iranian girl recalls school-age memories through the wrinkles and fabrics of her old uniform, quite literally. Rather than using paper, canvas, or a digital medium, Moghaddam painted directly on the cloth used for making school uniforms to tell the story of a character who dreams of a better future.

Moghaddam’s self-produced animation won the Grand Jury prize at Spain’s Animayo Festival and the Best Short Animation award at France’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

The short film stands out for its ability to combine different techniques and media, in what is known as mixed media, creating a visually captivating experience through a unique and creative approach.

The 2022 production explores the footprints of childhood uniforms as they are more than just a piece of clothing and can affect the way people present themselves in public.

Moghaddam is an animator and illustrator who has a strong passion for nature, culture, and the reality she lives in. In her films, she tries to find a voice for beings who usually don't have a voice.

Her student short animation “On the Cover” (2018) gained global attention. Later, she continued creating films and visuals for ecological events. In addition, she has authored the first ecological comic book series for children, published in Iran, titled “The Little Forester”.

“Phoenix,” produced by the Documentary, Experimental, and Animation Cinema Expansion Center, delves into the concept of migration and leaving one's homeland. It was crafted using the actual voices of Iranian migrants across the world.

It is an animated documentary based on real sounds. The story of the film is about a person who decides to immigrate, and different voices of immigrants collected in documentary form narrate the feelings and events of the hero of the film.

The 20-minute “In the Shadow of Cypress,” produced by the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, is the story of an ex-captain suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder who lives with his daughter in a modest house by the sea. They have to face the challenges of a difficult life. One day, something unexpected happens and their lives change forever.

Founded in 1996, Animac is one of the highlights of the international animation calendar. Audiences can view the various screenings at different venues around the city, including the Principal Theater, which is the official festival venue. Parallel activities such as workshops, presentations, and alternative shows complete the program.

Over the years, Animac has consolidated its independent and artistic character. Nowadays, it is a rigorous, dynamic, and welcoming festival continually making efforts to improve, generating new audiences, and attracting those who love animation. 

Animac is a festival aimed at artists who use animation as a tool for personal expression. It goes beyond the limits of traditional narrative and seeks visionaries who make independent and daring works full of energy and who take their expressive potential to the limit. It is also a meeting place for artists, where ideas are generated and relations between different artistic disciplines are established.

SS/