Iranian short film ‘Ant’ sweeps three awards at India’s Paridrishya festival
The Iranian short film ‘Ant’ triumphed at the Paridrishya Film Festival, in India, winning all three major awards in the main competition.
Directed, written, and produced by Farhad Shantiaei, the film earned widespread recognition at the festival, which took place on February 1-2, 2025, in Karnataka, India, ILNA reported.
‘Ant’, Shantiaei’s directorial debut, was nominated for three major awards in the festival’s primary categories. The film went on to win Best Actor for Mehdhi Ghorbani, Best Screenplay for Shantiaei himself, and Best Sound Design, awarded to Sadegh Nikfarman, Omid Mohammadi-Pour, and Hossein Mashal.
The 30-minute film, which portrays the emotional journey of a deaf young man who regains his hearing only to retreat into silence after hearing the secrets of his closest relatives, has earned praise for its poignant storytelling and powerful performances. Ghorbani’s role as the protagonist, struggling with the newfound burden of his hearing, played a key part in the film’s success.
Following its international debut and a string of accolades at both domestic and international festivals, Ant is set to be screened soon in the Art and Experience section of Iranian theaters.
This win at Paridrishya Film Festival comes after ‘Ant’ also clinched two awards at the 8th Human Cinema Festival held in Chelyabinsk, Russia, in April 2024. At the Russian festival, the film won the Best Foreign Film award in the main competition and was also honored with the Best Feature Film award by the student jury.