TEHRAN – Iranian film “Sun Children” by Majid Majidi was named best film in the international competition of the 33rd International Film Festival for Children and Youth during the closing ceremony held in Tehran on Friday.

Majid was also crowned best director for the child labor drama in Tehran.

The movie brought Ruhollah Zamani the award for best actor and Majidi the Zaven Qukasian Golden Butterfly.

“Sun Children” has been acclaimed previously in several festivals. The film won the Crystal Simorgh for best film at the 38th Fajr Film Festival in Tehran in February.

Zamani was named the best young actor at the 77th Venice Film Festival, winning the Marcello Mastroianni Award in September.

The 33rd edition of the children’s film festival opened last week in Tehran and Isfahan, physically screening a number of Iranian movies for limited numbers of people in audiences due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.

The winners were honored at the Abbasabad Complex during the closing ceremony of the festival attended by Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Abbas Salehi, Cinema Organization of Iran director Hossein Entezami and a limited number of cineastes.

The jury of the International Centre of Films for Children and Youth (CIFEJ) at the festival gave its prize to the German animated drama “Fritzi: A Revolutionary Tale” by Ralf Kukula and Matthias Bruhn.

Also in the international section, the Golden Butterfly for the animated short went to “The Eleventh Step” by Maryam Kashkulinia from Iran.

“The Last Visit” by Mohammad-Mehdi Fekrian received the Corona-Narrative Section Special Award for the great care the director showed regarding healthcare workers and heroes.

The winners in the national competition section were also honored.

“Wolf Cubs of the Apple Valley” produced by Majid Barzegar was named best film in the national competition.

“The Eleventh Step” by Kashkulinia was selected as best short animated film and “The Driver” by Reza Nejati won the Golden Butterfly for best short fiction film.

The Golden Butterfly for best feature film went to “Cocoon and Butterfly” by Mohammad Salehinejad.

The Golden Butterfly for best technical and artistic achievement was presented to set designer Keivan Moqaddam for “Sun Children”.

Mohammadreza Alivar was named the best actor for his role in “Wolf Cubs of the Apple Valley” by director and writer Fereidun Najafi who also won the award for best screenwriter.
 
The Golden Butterfly for best director in the section was given to Majidi for “Sun Children”.

The special jury award was given to director Mahin Javaherian for “Yes”.

Photo: Filmmaker Majid Majidi holds the Golden Butterfly he won for his film “Sun Children” at the 33rd International Film Festival for Children and Youth on October 23, 2020. (ICFF)

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