Iranian doc ‘Legacy of the Wind’ heads to Oscar-qualifying Mountainfilm festival
The short documentary ‘Legacy of the Wind’ by Iranian director Nasim Soheili was officially selected for the 47th edition of the Mountainfilm Festival in the United States, a key Oscar-qualifying event, according to ISNA.
Founded in 1979, Mountainfilm is known for spotlighting stories that champion “adventure, activism, social justice, environment, and indomitable spirit.” The 2025 edition will take place from May 22 to 26 in Telluride, Colorado.
‘Legacy of the Wind’ tells the story of Mohammad Vali Gandomi, the last living artisan who knows how to build and restore the ancient windmills—known locally as Asbads—of Nashtifan, Iran. The documentary also features Mount Sinai, the only mountain where the specific stone used in these mills can be sourced. Gandomi has kept the knowledge alive through hands-on experience, carving the stones by memory and skill alone.
The film has already picked up several international awards, including Best Indigenous Documentary at Serbia’s 33rd Ethnological Film Festival and Best International Documentary at the 40th Tehran International Short Film Festival. It also won Best Short Documentary in the Teachers-as-Filmmakers category at the 54th Roshd festival.
Soheili’s work has traveled widely, making appearances at documentary and animation festivals in the US, Portugal, Uruguay, Italy, Russia, China, and Turkey.