Iran’s ‘The Lovely Sky’ awarded at Brazil’s Animatiba
‘The Lovely Sky,’ an animated short by Iranian director Amir Mehran, has bagged the top jury prize at the fourth edition of Brazil’s Animatiba festival.
The 14-minute drama, produced by the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults in Iran, draws on the trauma of war through a poignant, minimalist lens. It took the jury’s breath away, Mehr News agency reported.
The closing ceremony, held on May 14, 2025, drew a lively crowd of animation fans from across the globe.
The festival’s official trailer, which opened with an image of Iran’s map, hinted at the international flaour of this year’s entries.
Held in Curitiba from May 8 to 14, the biennial has quickly made a name for itself as a hub for bold storytelling and innovative animation. This year’s lineup featured works from five continents.
It has also been screened in the 63rd Zlin Film Festival in the Czech city of Zlin, the 19th World Festival of Animated Film Varna in Bulgaria, the 16th Bueu International Short Film Festival in Spain, and the 39th International Festival of animation cinema, comics, and games in Italy.