The Tehran International Short Film Festival (TISFF) will celebrate its 32nd edition this year with the participation of hundreds of young cineastes from Iran and across the globe.
The biggest event in Iran’s short film industry will kick off at Charsou Cineplex in downtown Tehran on November 11 with more than 150 Iranian and foreign films.
Organized by the Iranian Youth Cinema Society (IYCS) (a member of the International Short Film Conference), this year, the event will host short films (less than 30 minutes) in four categories of fiction, documentary, experimental and animation.
Following a call for entries in May, a total of 1700 movies by over 1,300 filmmakers were submitted to the festival secretariat in the national section, among which 54 were selected by a 12-member jury panel to compete for the awards, said Farid Farkhondeh-Kish, festival secretary and managing director of IYCS, at a press conference on Tuesday.
“Interestingly, 80% of the works are supported by the private sector which shows the enthusiasm of various sections of the society other than government bodies, to lend a helping hand to the local movie industry,” he noted.
The international section has four categories: Islamic countries, Asian countries, Against Violence and Extremism and Video Art. Of the 3600 works received by the secretariat from 108 countries, 97 films were approved to participate in the competitive and non-competitive sections.
With 12 films, France has the highest number of participants among foreign countries. Germany follows with 11 works, the US with 6 and the UK and Norway with 5 productions each.
Corresponding with screenings of the selected films in various sections, specialized workshops will also be held by Iranian and Danish experts. Other events on the sidelines include honoring teenage filmmakers and screening films by students of the acclaimed director Abbas Kiarostami.
MoU With Book House
On the MoU between IYCS and the Book House Institute, Farkhondeh-Kish said, “This year’s TISFF is concurrent with the 23rd Iran’s Book Week, (November 14-21) and hence the MoU. Consequently, we dubbed November 16 as ‘Day of Book and Cinema’ in the festival calendar, and a commemoration ceremony for the late Iranian film critic, documentary filmmaker and author of books on cinema Zaven Qukasian, will be held”.
Book House will also award a film with a theme on books. Furthermore, the MoU necessitates the Book House to equip libraries of the IYCS offices in the country with relevant books.
To a question by Financial Tribune on the participation of foreign filmmakers, Farkhondeh-Kish said, “six directors whose films are among the notable works in the final lineup are scheduled to take part.”
Currently among the top short film festivals in Asia, TISFF has raised the bar.
“Our productions have garnered several international awards, bringing fame to Iranian cinema. Similarly, we are making efforts to enhance our festival so that it becomes one of the prestigious global events,” he said.
Founded in 1985, IYCS seeks to encourage Iranian adolescents in producing films. With over 60 branches and offices in all provinces, the society looks for and trains those interested in learning directing, script writing, photography, cinematography, and film editing.
TISFF is a platform for new talent to present innovative and creative works. It seeks to evaluate and introduce the best productions from Iran and other countries, pave the ground for international exchange through cultural activities, foster young short film makers, and promote film education.
Winners in different sections will receive awards (a trophy, citation, and a cash prize) at the closing ceremony of the week-long event on November 17 at Howzeh Honari (Art Forum) in Tehran.
