Record 7,216 Foreign Films Submitted to 40th Tehran Int’l Short Film Festival
The 40th Tehran International Short Film Festival (TISFF) has received a record high of 7,216 foreign film submissions from 131 countries, the festival’s secretary Mehdi Azarpendar announced on Monday. The international section of the festival, set to take place October 19-24, 2023, in Tehran, will see 800 more films than the previous record set during the 38th festival.
Spain, India, France, the US, and China are the top five countries contributing to this record, with 913 submissions from Spain, 553 from India, 494 from France, 448 from the US, and 367 from China. Other significant contributors include Italy, Brazil, Russia, the UK, Turkey, Germany, South Korea, Mexico, Canada, Poland, and Argentina.
This year’s festival will introduce two new competitive sections called “Truth Seekers” and “Silk Road.” The former will focus on films reflecting truths, while the latter will celebrate the neighborly spirit among countries along ancient trade routes.
In the national section, 1,787 films have been submitted, encompassing various genres such as 1,185 fictional films, 267 documentaries, 222 experimental movies, and 113 animated films.
Azarpendar, also the managing director of the Iranian Youth Cinema Society, said TISFF is a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards, making the top winner eligible for Oscar nominations.
The announcement of selected films for international screening is scheduled for the end of September 2023.
