TEHRAN – The Iranian short film “Sheep” written, directed and produced by Hadi Babaifar won an award at the 11th Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) in California, USA.
ISNA reported that the festival announced the winners of the Jury and Audience Awards at a grand closing ceremony held at the Culver Theater in Culver City, California, on Sunday, with “Sheep” taking first place in the short film competition category.
Babeifar received a trophy and scholarship from the New York Film Academy, a $3,000 set rental credit from Our Home Studios, and a DCP from the DCP Company.
This 13-minute feature film, made in 2024, follows a young girl named Rose who lives with her mother in Tehran. When she discovers sheep in her neighbor’s backyard being sacrificed in a traditional ritual, she decides to save as many sheep as possible. The cast includes Rose Tabatabaye, Gheravij Alam, and others.
Hadi Babaifal, 42, discovered his interest in film at the age of 20 and bought his own camera. He studied film criticism and acting at the Carname Institute of Arts and Culture, and at the same time worked as a photographer on the sets of several feature films.
At the age of 32, he earned a degree in directing in Tehran and graduated in 2018. His debut short film “Deer” will premiere in the Generation section of the Berlin International Film Festival in 2022 and is the first part of the Animal Trilogy. “Sheep” is the second film in the trilogy.
The Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) Short Film Program is dedicated to supporting and promoting filmmaking in Asia and the work of Asian, Asian American, and Asian multiracial filmmakers around the world.
Its mission is to showcase the diverse and talented voices of Asian filmmakers and provide a platform for their creative expression. The short film format offers filmmakers a unique opportunity to tell powerful, impactful stories in a compact and compelling way.
By focusing on short films, we aim to give up-and-coming filmmakers a platform to showcase their work and have their talent recognized.
SS/SAB