Iranian film wins two awards at California festival
Iranian film ‘My Little Moon,’ by Ali Atshani, earned two major awards at the 22nd Riverside International Film Festival in California.
The feature was named Best Film at the festival’s closing ceremony, held April 6 at the historic Fox Theater in Riverside, ILNA wrote.
Actress Natalia Polo also took home the Best Actress award for her performance in the film.
The Riverside festival, held annually in April, is considered a notable event in the US independent film circuit.
Produced by American Brightlight Film Productions in 2025, ‘My Little Moon’ tells the story of two teenage girls — one from the US and the other from Iran — who form a deep friendship online. The film explores themes of connection beyond borders and cultures.
The drama has already received recognition at several festivals, including Kansas City and Santa Fe.
The cast includes Natalia Polo, Nicole Amato, Brent Kubelik, Matthew Fehrmann, and Elnaz Bagheri.