Iran’s ‘The West Sky’ wins top prize at Golden Knight in Crimea
Iranian feature film ‘The West Sky,’ directed by Mohammad Asgari and produced by Habib Vali-Nejad, took home the top prize for Best Fiction Film at the 35th Golden Knight festival, organizers said. The festival ran from May 22 to May 29, in the city of Novy Kherson in the Russian-controlled Sevastopol region of Crimea.
Produced by Iran’s Soureh Cinema Organization and Farabi Cinema Foundation, ‘The West Sky’ tells the story of Iranian Army helicopter pilots in the early days of the Iran-Iraq war, highlighting their role in pushing back enemy forces.
The Golden Knight festival, launched in 1992 under the motto “For moral ideals, for the exaltation of the human spirit,” is one of the most prominent cultural events in the Russian-speaking world. This year’s edition featured more than 200 screenings from 20 countries, including Russia, Iran, Germany, Switzerland, Turkey, India, China and Serbia.
The event focuses on films with ethical, spiritual, and cultural themes. Organizers say its independent approach has earned the trust of socially conscious filmmakers across the globe.