TEHRAN – After a successful appearance at the 42nd Fajr Film Festival and strong showings at international festivals, the Iranian animated feature film “Sword and Sorrow,” directed by Emad Rahmani and Mehrdad Mehrabi, will be released across cinemas in the country on June 17.

The animation has earlier become available to audiences worldwide through the platforms Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video as well, IRNA reported.

With a heroic, emotional, and profound story about sacrifice, identity, and hope, along with a distinctive visual design and advanced animation techniques, “Sword and Sorrow” has succeeded in earning positive attention from critics and festivals internationally.

This work was created with a focus on promoting Ashura culture and aims to present the most influential event in Islamic history from an Iranian perspective.

Given the arrival of the month of Muharram, “Sword and Sorrow” is scheduled to hit cinemas across the country simultaneously with the beginning of the mourning ceremonies.

“Sword and Sorrow” takes viewers on a journey through the history of Islam, with a particular focus on the event of Karbala.

The 92-minute film unfolds the historical period from the martyrdom of Imam Hassan (AS) to the arrival of Imam Hussein (AS) in Karbala, narrated through the perspective of an Iranian residing in Madain.

More than a thousand years ago, in one of the famous cities of Mesopotamia, Madain, when the cruelty of the Sultan was at its peak, upholding justice was throwing one’s life into death’s jaws.

Karen is a seven-year-old child, with his most significant possession being a birthday gift, a wooden sword bestowed on him by his father. But on his very same birthday, things take a tragic twist; the Sultan puts all who disobeyed him and their families to the sword.

Thanks to his uncle, Karen survives. They escape the city, and his uncle entrusts him to the loving Brochim family in a small village named Mahuza. Although Mahuza is always full of love and Karen receives plenty, no second passes without him mourning for his family and dreaming of finishing what his father has started.

Now, after twenty years, in Madain, Karen sees an opportunity to make his father’s wish come true finally, but he’s also aware of what it will cost.

What sets “Sword and Sorrow” apart is its use of human scanning technology (MetaHuman) – the first time in the history of Iranian animation. The work's hyperreal and realistic atmosphere is achieved through the meticulous scanning of humans, capturing facial expressions, quality, and designing clothing.

According to the director, “the project, involving nearly two hundred contributors, required almost two years of collaborative efforts to reach completion. 'Sword and Sorrow' stands as a testament to the intersection of technology, history, and artistry within the Iranian animation landscape”.

Born in Kashan, Emad Rahmani, 37, holds an M.A. in politics. He has managed and directed more than 22 projects at Permanent Way Entertainment. He has also published plenty of game screenplays and essays. He is currently in the position of CEO at the studio.

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