TEHRAN -- The 18th International Resistance Film Festival will introduce a new award recognizing documentarians whose works embody the ideals of Martyr Morteza Avini.
The “Morteza Badge” will be awarded to documentarians which closely align in content with the thoughts and ideologies of the “Martyr of the Pen”, secretary of the festival Jalal Ghafari said. 
He said there has been a significant increase in the number of documentary submissions. High-quality works have been sent to the festival secretariat from various regions of the country and many parts of the world, reflecting considerable growth both qualitatively and quantitatively compared to previous editions. 
“This growth promises an event on par with the Islamic Revolution and the Resistance Front,” Ghafari said.
Ghafari said many of the submitted documentaries come from prominent institutions, including the Art and Cultural Organization of the Islamic Revolution, Owj Arts and Media Organization, and the Experimental Cinema Development Center.
Additionally, numerous revolutionary documentarians and national congresses honoring martyrs have contributed to this year’s lineup.
For the first time, the documentary committee will award the “Morteza Badge” to winners in the documentary section. The badge will be presented by a distinguished jury to those artists whose works best align with the themes of Morteza Avini.