The 42nd Tehran International Short Film Festival concluded on Friday, October 25, 2025, celebrating the winners of its international and national sections and honoring veteran filmmaker Arash Rasafi. The festival’s international awards recognized outstanding short films from around the world, highlighting the creativity and innovation of emerging filmmakers and paying tribute to Iranian cinema’s new generation. The closing ceremony took place at the Tennis Court of the Iran Mall complex, marking a festive conclusion to this year’s event.
Behrouz Shoaibi, CEO of the Iranian Youth Cinema Society and festival secretary, welcomed attendees and thanked young filmmakers for energizing this year’s festival. He emphasized that filmmakers themselves are the heart of the festival, and that the closing ceremony marks the start of a new chapter for Iranian short films.
International Section Highlights
Best AI Film – Golden Leaf & $500: “Valley” by Juan Zabal, Argentina
Best Experimental Film – Golden Leaf & $500: “A Slice Envisioned” by Claudia Monksgaard
Special Prize, Emerging Horizons – Golden Leaf & $1,500: “Whispering Stones” by Ali Mohammad Tarhami, Iran
Best International Animation – Golden Leaf & $1,000: “Winter in March” by Natalia Mirzoyan, represented by the Armenian ambassador
Best International Documentary – Golden Leaf & $1,000: “My Name is Oil” by Igor Smola, Azerbaijan
Best International Narrative Short – Golden Leaf & $1,000: “Baozhda” by Kern Abuximo, China
Grand Prize, International Section – Golden Leaf & $2,000: “Criterion” by Martin Sieger, Chile (Oscar-qualifying film)
National Highlights:
Best National Short Film – 400 million IRR: “Goodbye Trash” by Bahram & Bahram Ark (Mashhad) Emerging Talent Section and Festival Secretary Prize – 400 million IRR, shared: “Blister” by Mina Hosseini Moghadam, and “Residual” by Hossein Pourkhalili
Farabi Cinema Foundation Award – “Typist” by Hadi Nouri
National Photography Awards:
Alongside the film competitions, the festival also celebrated excellence in photography, honoring both individual images and series that capture the richness of Iranian life and culture. The awards recognized achievements in the Iranian Family Photo Awards and the Tehran Photography Awards, highlighting creativity, technical skill, and storytelling through the photographic medium.
Iranian Family Photo Awards:
Single Photo Section:
Bronze Award (200 million IRR): Seyed Ali Razavian, “Bijar Carpet”
Silver Award (300 million IRR): Aziz Babet Nejad, “City Girl”
Gold Award (400 million IRR): Seyed Ali Hosseini-Far, “Green-Handed Girl”
Photo Series:
Honorarium: Majid Hojjati, “Wedding of the Good People”
Tehran Photography Awards:
Single Photo Section:
Bronze (100 million IRR): Hamid Reza Helali, “Mother”
Silver (150 million IRR): Ali Azar, “Afternoon on Khajou Bridge”
Gold (200 million IRR): Amir Hossein Armand, “Love Story”
Photo Series Section:
Gold (250 million IRR): Asghar Besharati, “Motor Fishing” (Qeshm)
Tribute to Arash Rasafi
The ceremony honored veteran filmmaker and deputy of the Iranian Youth Cinema Society, Arash Rasafi, with a short film showcasing his decades of contributions. Rasafi expressed gratitude to colleagues and emphasized his lifelong commitment to supporting young Iranian filmmakers.
Future Additional Award Sections Announced
Festival Director, Behrouz Shoaibi, noted two surprises in the narrative film section: the remarkable quality of first films by emerging directors and the outstanding performances by actors, which contributed to excellent results. He added that next year the festival will introduce acting and set design awards to enhance the event further.