Iran-Tajikistan cinematic collaboration, co-produced by iFilm, shines at intl. festival

A cinematic collaboration between Iran and Tajikistan, co-produced among others by iFilm, a major network run by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB)’s World Service, has won a prestigious award at a major international festival.

The movie, titled Fish on the Hook, won the Festival Director’s Special Award at the 37th edition of the International Film Festival for Children and Young Adults (ICFF) in the central Iranian city of Isfahan on Wednesday.

The award was presented to Tajikistani Director and Producer Mohiuddin Mozaffar, whose movie recounts the universal human values that are often overlooked in today’s turbulent world.

It depicts the story of a child, who, as the silent hero of the story, embarks on an inner journey that compels not only the supporting characters, but also the audience to rethink the meaning of such concepts as belonging and hope.

Aside from iFilm, an Iranian entertainment network consisting of three channels in English, Arabic, and Persian, the feature film’s co-producers include Tajikistan’s Dov Film and Tajikfilm studios.

The movie has had its world premiere at the 30th Schlingel International Film Festival in Germany, where it evoked tearful reactions.

It was screened at the IRIB’s International Conference Center in Tehran last month in an event that was hailed as a milestone in regional cinematic cooperation, showcasing how shared heritage could inspire creative unity across borders.

A host of distinguished guests attended the unveiling ceremony at the time, including Peyman Jebelli, head of the IRIB; Ahmad Nowrouzi, head of the IRIB World Service; Gholamali Haddad Adel, president of Iran’s Academy of Persian Language and Literature, and Nizamuddin Zahedi, Tajikistan’s ambassador to Tehran.

Addressing the screening event, Jebelli commended the movie as a vibrant tribute to the cultural and linguistic kinship between Iran and Tajikistan, saying Iranian and Tajik teams had worked seamlessly together behind the scenes towards enabling its production, even as filming took place entirely in Tajikistan.

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