TEHRAN – The first edition of Avaye Solh International Film Festival will be organized in Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf in November.

Avaye Solh (literally meaning Voice of Peace) festival is being organized with the participation of the Qeshm Free Zone Organization, the Secretariat of the Supreme Council of Free Zones, and under the auspices of the Cultural and Artistic Department of the House of Iran’s Peace Corps. 

With Laleh Eskandari serving as festival director, the event will take place in November, featuring national and international works in the categories of short film, feature film, documentary, and animation.

So far, more than 500 works from Iran and 11 other countries, including the United States, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, China, and Australia, have been submitted to the festival’s secretariat, with short fiction films making up the largest share of entries. 

To provide filmmakers with broader opportunities for participation, the festival’s website will reopen for submissions tomorrow and remain accessible for 10 days.

The Avaye Solh International Film Festival was founded by the Cultural and Artistic Department of the House of Iran’s Peace Corps, rooted in the belief that art is a universal language for promoting peace, empathy, and human dignity.

This festival serves as a platform for artists and audiences who believe in the transformative power of sound, image, and storytelling to create a kinder, more compassionate world. 

The event seeks to showcase films and artistic works that not only reflect themes of hope, friendship, and awareness but also have the power to move hearts and minds.

By bridging the worlds of art and peace, the festival aims to create a space for dialogue, listening, and visibility—especially for those voices often drowned out in the noise of our times.

The festival aspires to become a catalyst in the cultural landscape of Iran and the region, building a bridge between hearts that long for a better life for all humankind.

The Avaye Solh Festival is organized with the goal of promoting global peace. The first edition of the festival is dedicated to cinema, with future editions set to expand into other artistic disciplines. This initiative strives to amplify the message of peace through the universal language of art, bringing the voice of peace to the world.

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