TEHRAN – Iranian animator Ashkan Rahgozar will serve as a juror at the New Talents section of the 9th Festival of Animation Berlin (FAB), which will be held from October 8 to 11 in Berlin, Germany.

Rahgozar is one of the four members on the jury panel that also includes animation director Antje Heyn, film producer Franka Sachse, and stop motion designer, IRNA reported.

In addition, Rahgozar’s latest animation “Juliet and the King” will be shown during the festival and will be followed by a session titled “Animation Between Art and Challenge,” where the director will speak about the making of a hand-drawn animated film in Iran.

In this case study, Rahgozar offers insights into the making of his animated feature film “Juliet and the King”. 

In the 90-minute 2D family animation, Nasser-al-Din Shah, the Iranian king, gets an invitation to visit France. He loves Europe, and he always takes the chance to visit there. While visiting a Romeo and Juliet play in Paris, the actress catches his eye. He falls in love with her so deeply that he asks her to perform the same play in Tehran, so he can impress her and win her heart.

Julie, the actress, decides to take this chance. With the help of her friend Jamal, she goes to perform in Iran, anticipating progress in her career. But she suddenly finds herself among jealous court ladies and the center of the king’s attention.

Blending a traditional Disney-style fairy tale with 19th-century Iran as its backdrop, the result is a compelling examination of cultural contrast. Set in the latter half of that century, this story offers Rahgozar’s interpretation of how Persian society once viewed the world. While times have certainly evolved, the themes explored remain relevant and thought-provoking.

The animated movie premiered at the 43rd Fajr Film Festival last year. It has participated in several international film festivals and has won six prestigious awards so far. 

The Festival of Animation Berlin is the first film festival dedicated to animation in Germany's capital. With the festival's focus being on artistic animation of all kinds, FAB annually presents the best animated films in both regional and international categories.

FAB aspires not only to promote numerous filmmakers but also to pay tribute to the art of animation. Filmmakers from Berlin and across the globe get the opportunity to associate with like-minded people and present their work to the public.

Apart from competition categories, the festival comprises a rich side program revolving around animation-related themes. As a platform where inspiration, creative exchange, innovation, and communication come together, it seeks to create a point of connection between both emerging and established filmmakers as well as local audiences.

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