TEHRAN — Iranian cinema once again made a remarkable impression on the international stage, as two Iranian films garnered major awards at the 41st edition of Italy’s renowned Asolo Art Film Festival, one of the world’s longest-running and most prestigious festivals dedicated to art films.
Nasim Soheili’s documentary short “Legacy of the Wind” took home the award for Best Anthropology Film, captivating audiences with its heartfelt portrait of Muhammad Vali Gandomi, the last surviving craftsman who preserves the ancient knowledge of windmill construction and restoration. At 68 years old, Gandomi remains the guardian of the windmills in Nashtifan, a small town in Iran’s northeastern Khorasan Razavi province — a living link to a vanishing cultural heritage.
Meanwhile, Mehrdad Moheb Alizadeh’s short film “Yellow Red” won the festival’s coveted First Expressions Award. The film offers a striking exploration of contemporary social crises, including confusion, class divides, mental health struggles, and the accumulation of toxic waste in marginalized urban areas. Its protagonist shares a fragile coexistence with both the strange inhabitants of the landfill and the animals that dwell there — until one fateful night sets a transformative journey in motion.
Founded in 1973, the Asolo Art Film Festival has earned its reputation as a prestigious platform spotlighting films that delve into art, anthropology, history, literature, architecture, music, and indigenous cultures. Over its five decades, the festival has showcased works by legendary auteurs such as Andrei Tarkovsky, Ingrid Bergman, Robert Bresson, Alain Resnais, and Jean Rouch.
With an international jury of scholars and film experts, Asolo annually honors the finest cinematic works that explore the intricate intersections of culture and creativity. This year, Iranian filmmakers proudly continued the country’s tradition of crafting deeply human and visually compelling stories that resonate across borders.
The success of “Legacy of the Wind” and “Yellow Red” at Asolo not only underscores the rich diversity of Iranian cinema but also highlights its ongoing commitment to shedding light on underrepresented voices and cultural histories.