TEHRAN -- The 43rd Tehran 
International Short Film Festival continued on Sunday with a program focused on filmmaking education, professional exchange and the role of short cinema in presenting new perspectives on contemporary life.
The festival, organized by the Iranian Youth Cinema Society, is being held at the Mellat Cinema Complex in Tehran. 
This year’s edition is directed by Iranian filmmaker Behrouz Shoeibi and carries the theme “Iranian Thought; Global Narrative.”  
A central feature of the festival’s opening activities is the specialist program titled “43–20,” which brings cinema professionals and participants together for a series of educational discussions. 
The program began on Saturday, October 17, with remarks from Shoeibi, who welcomed participants and emphasized the importance of creating opportunities for audiences to learn from experienced professionals.
Shoeibi said the sessions were intended to introduce new perspectives and broaden participants’ understanding of cinema. He also acknowledged the work of the organizers, including Alieh Sadat Hashemi, Muhammad Soufi and Rasoul Sadeghi, in preparing the program. Hashemi expressed hope that the planned 20 sessions would provide a productive learning experience. 
The festival’s broader program encompasses fiction, documentary, animation and experimental cinema, offering filmmakers opportunities to present their work and engage with audiences. Its international section also reflects the event’s ambition to encourage cultural exchange through stories drawn from different countries and communities.
In a message to the festival, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described short films as a means of expressing the perspectives of the younger generation and narrating the realities of contemporary society. He emphasized cinema’s potential to promote dialogue, mutual understanding and cultural connections between nations. 
The festival also connects contemporary filmmaking with Iran’s cinematic heritage. Its opening program included a restored, color-corrected version of Amu Sibiloo, directed by the late filmmaker Bahram Beyzaie, according to published Iranian media reports.