TEHRAN- Iranian short documentary “Standing with the Wolf”, co-directed by Saeed Nabi and Maryam Khadivi, received an award from the Irkutsk Regional Museum of Local Lore named after Muravyov-Amursky at the 23rd edition of the Baikal International Film Festival of Documentary and Popular-Science Films “People and Environment”, which concluded in Irkutsk, Russia on Saturday. 

The award was given to the film for serving the ideals of faith, conscience and beauty, the festival’s organizers announced. 

The 30-minute documentary focuses on Jalali, a dedicated Park Ranger who has endured more than 90 lead bullets in his fight to protect the environment. Committed to preserving the country’s natural heritage, he has realized the importance of education and has taken it upon himself to teach in schools, believing that knowledge is a powerful tool in the battle to safeguard the environment.

Despite numerous setbacks, Jalali persists in his struggle against poachers, holding on to the hope of a brighter future, even as he navigates the uncertainties of these ongoing conflicts. However, that hope dimmed when the animal museum he established to educate children was handed over to a contractor seeking profit.

Russian documentary "Against the Wind" by Tatyana Soboleva won the Grand Prix of the festival, while the Mikhail Romm Prize for the best documentary film was awarded to the film "The Last Nomads" by Romanian director Dragos Lumpan. 

The Best Popular Science Film Award was given to "The Wild Ones", co-directed by Miguel Cortez Costa and Carolina Castro Almeida, from Portugal and the "The Alien" by Russian director Ivan Sosnin was named the best feature film.  Moreover, the award for the best animated film was given to "The Transformation of Ana" by Joao Rodriguez from Portugal.

The festival also screened the Iranian feature film “Life & Life” directed by Ali Ghavitan.

The film follows a teacher who is concerned about the students who have not attended online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. She decides to visit them. She buckles her four-year-old daughter into the car and takes off for the students’ houses. Her goal for this trip is to look in on the students, but she has another purpose. She tells her daughter about her own life, and the girl begins to understand the world as she meets other people.

Baikal International Film Festival of Documentary and Popular-Science Films “People and Environment” named after V. Rasputin has been taking place in Irkutsk since 1999 (annually since 2007). The festival was founded by The Union of Filmmakers of the Russian Federation and its Irkutsk regional branch and it’s held with the support of The Ministry of Culture.

The festival is designed as a platform that encourages to reflect on the complex relationship between people and nature and educates the younger generation. Therefore, along with competitive and thematic programs that attract different viewers, the focus is always on working with educational institutions – schools and universities.

It aims to raise environmental awareness through cinematography. As part of the festival, business events will be organized at which the most pressing environmental problems and the role of films and directors in solving them will be discussed.

Photo: A scene from Iranian short documentary “Standing with the Wolf” co-directed by Saeed Nabi and Maryam Khadivi

SAB/