Oman today_ Two Iranian works shone at this year’s prestigious IDFA festival, securing some of the event’s top awards. Held annually in Amsterdam and considered one of the most influential platforms for documentary cinema worldwide, the festival featured two Iranian films that drew significant attention from the jury.
In the International Competition, Mehrdad Oskouei won the Best Film award for “The Fox and the Pink Fish.” This documentary follows the life of Soraya, a sixteen-year-old Afghan girl living in Iran—a young artist who spent five years striving to migrate to Europe. The film is built from footage Soraya recorded herself using her mobile phone, blended with animation and documentary storytelling.
The festival jury described the winning film as a powerful example of how art can inspire hope in turbulent times. They praised the vibrancy of the young protagonist and her creative resilience, noting how she rebuilds her sense of self amid instability, pressure, and domestic violence. The jury also highlighted the risks taken during filming and the meaningful collaboration between an Iranian director and a young Afghan artist.
The second Iranian film recognized at IDFA was “Past; A Continuous Future,” directed by Firouzeh Khosrovani and Morteza Ahmadvand, which won the Best Film award in the Envision Competition. This documentary centers on Maryam, a woman who left Iran decades ago to live in the United States while her parents remained in Tehran. As her parents grow older and political tensions rise, she convinces them to install security cameras in every room of their home so she can stay connected with them from afar. The film weaves together security-camera footage with home videos from Maryam’s childhood, offering a unique portrayal of distance, longing, and caring from afar.
Firouzeh Khosrovani previously won a major IDFA award in 2020 for her film “Radiograph of a Family,” and her name once again appeared among the festival’s winners this year.
Both Iranian films received a cash prize of 15,000 euros in addition to their main awards.