Directed by Maryam Kashkoolini, 'The 11th Step' is about a little lion cub that is born in a zoo and lives in a cage that is only ten steps long. On the eleventh step he bangs his head against the bars, but one day the zookeeper leaves the cage door open. However, the lion cub never dares to take one more step toward its freedom.
The eleven-minute animation is produced by Iran's Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults.
The animation has been screened in several international events, including the Supertoon International Animation Festival in Croatia and the Annecy International Animated Film Festival in France. It was also screened at the 28th Zagreb Animafest from 28 September to 3 October 2020.
It has won an award at the 14th edition of the Lublin Film Festival in Poland which was held online on November, 23-28. It has been also awarded as the best in the Iranian films competition section of the 17th Sedicicorto International Film Festival, 2-11 October 2020 in Forli.
Iranian animation ‘Autumn Winds, Spring Winds, and Two Doves’ by Sadegh Javadi, is based on a book by Ahmad Reza Ahmadi and has a poetic and abstract space.
The synopsis of the story reads, “The daughter is waiting for the man to arrive. The pigeon delivers their message. The man goes on board the ship. The autumn storm shakes things up. Everyone is depressed and frustrated. The pigeon, however, does not wait until spring arrives and begins the search.”
The animation also took part in the 49th edition of Festival du Nouveau Cinéma de Montréal in Canada and the 63rd edition of DOK Leipzig festival in Germany.
Neum Animated Film Festival (NAFF) is an individual legal subject that works on the propaganda of animated film among young people in BiH and other countries. Its main goal is a positive influence on the development of film industry and culture through creative meetings and co-operation of young people.
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