TEHRAN – Iranian short drama “The Winner” has won the Golden Kite Award at the 4th Ahmedabad International Children’s Film Festival.

Directed by Ali Keivan, the film tells the story of Vahid, whose new bicycle, which his father prepared for the race, is very similar to his friend Alireza’s stolen bicycle.

The winners of the Indian festival were announced last Sunday as “Loupetoo” by Iranian director Abbas Asgari was picked as best animated film.

In the film, Mr. Kamali, the owner of a sanitarium treats the patients by teaching them to make toys. The toys are creative, so they are very attractive to children. But the toy studio is closed down because of sabotage, which causes a critical mental status in the patients. Mr. Kamali becomes terribly disappointed and sad in his vain attempts to solve the problem, but finally, an angel of hope appears.  

“The Monument” by Andrej Kolencik from Slovakia won the Silver Kite for best feature film.

During a school trip to the Stefanik Memorial Monument in Brezova pod Bradlom, three classmates Tablet, Anika and Danny find themselves transported into the memories of Milan Rastislav Stefanik. They discover a fascinating, infinite world where travel through time and space is a matter of course. Stefanik’s memories come alive, and the children are in for the adventure of their lives. They visit the snow-clad Janssen Observatory on Mont Blanc, wander around Paris and Tahiti, and experience the perils and horrors of the First World War. Will they manage to get back home, or will they be forever lost in Oblivion?

The Bronze Kite Award went to “Bicycle Days” by Indian director Devyani Anant.

The film follows Aashish, an 11-year-old village boy and Shekhar, a 22-year-old graduate from the city who has to involuntarily spend a year of his life teaching in a small village. 

He becomes Aashish’s teacher. Aashish wants a bicycle of his own desperately but fails to fulfill his aspiration. On the other hand, Shekhar, struggling with his situation, sees the boy in difficulty and decides to help him out, mentor him and show him the right path. In this exercise, he manages to find out his own identity and the reason why his father sent him to a village before sending him abroad for higher studies.

Photo: “The Winner” by Iranian director Ali Keivan.

MMS/YAW