TEHRAN -- Iranian short film Nechir, directed by Keyvan Shamshiri, has received a festival trophy and certificate of appreciation at the 3rd Gordion International Archeofilm Festival in Türkiye after reaching the final stage of the festival’s International Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Documentary Film Competition.
Shamshiri, a filmmaker and instructor affiliated with the Iranian Youth Cinema Society’s Kermanshah office, was the sole Iranian representative at this year’s festival. According to the festival’s official selection, Nechir was among the international finalists in the archaeology and cultural heritage documentary category.
The third edition of the Gordion International Archeofilm Festival received 828 film submissions from 108 countries. Films from nine countries advanced to the final stage of the International Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Documentary Film Competition.
Nechir is an experimental documentary focusing on the Khosrow Hunting Ground at Taq-e Bostan, the renowned Sasanian-era rock relief complex in Kermanshah, western Iran. Through an experimental cinematic approach, the film explores the historical site and highlights aspects of the region’s archaeological and cultural heritage.
Taq-e Bostan is one of Kermanshah’s best-known historical sites and is particularly noted for its monumental Sasanian rock reliefs. The Khosrow Hunting Ground, associated with the complex and its depictions of royal hunting scenes, forms the central subject of Shamshiri’s film.
The Gordion International Archeofilm Festival focuses on archaeology, cultural heritage and history, providing a platform for films exploring archaeological sites, historical civilizations and cultural heritage. The festival’s theme is “Cultural Heritage,” while its slogan is “Cinema Unties the Knot of the Past.”
The 2026 festival was held from September 24 to 27 in Ankara and at the ancient city of Gordion in Polatlı, Türkiye. The archaeological site of Gordion was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023.
Shamshiri, born in 1982 in Kermanshah, holds a master’s degree in Film Production. Alongside his work as a filmmaker and instructor, he has published articles and other writings on cinema, and his films have been screened at various domestic and international cultural and film events.