Tehran – Iranian short animation “Travelous,” directed by Samira Hosseini, won the top award at the 8th Short Film Night (SFN) Loutraki Animation Festival, held in Corinth, Greece on July 6th.
Every year, the festival featured a handpicked selection of original, bold, emotionally resonating short animated films from around the world, according to the festival’s website. One of the highlights of Closing Night was the announcement of the Audience Awards, a beloved tradition that reflects the immediate connections that viewers experience with the film.
“Traverous” was announced to rank first among the three winners of the Audience Award, as it unveiled a delicate, original story from Iran that moved the audience. “Storytelling” from Switzerland and “middle” from France came in second and third place, respectively.
“A dynamic and delicate animated film from Iran. It takes viewers on a personal, poetic journey. The film won first place thanks to its originality and deep emotional storytelling,” the festival writes about “Travelous.”
The short six-minute animation is a dark comedy about transitions. It was presented as a master’s thesis at Sole University.
The story is about a young man who intends to leave his hometown in a hot air balloon. One by one he cuts down relationships with his family, relatives, friends and loved ones, cutting off the cultural attachment within himself that he has to let go. Eventually, he reaches his destination, but that doesn’t seem to be the case either.
Sam Salmie is an animator for the work, and the music is composed by Mohammad Darvisi. The animation features the song “Khareji” by Bomrani Music Band.
The active participation of the audience and its warm presence is the soul of SFN. Audience Awards are more than just distinction. This is a mirror of connections created between work and audience.
The 2025 festival featured dozens of short animations from creators of all ages and nationalities, offering a rich puzzle of artistic approaches, techniques and stories.
Short Film Night (SFN) is an exciting annual event celebrating animated art and craft. It will take place in July in the picturesque town of Luthraki in Corinth, Greece. SFN presents a wide range of animated films from around the world, including stop motion, 2D, 3D, and experimental animation.
The evening of the short film takes place under the umbrella of the Festival Berth. In addition to the film itself, visitors will be taking part in a series of events and activities, including workshops, master classes, exhibitions and concerts hosted by the Festivalbert, offering an immersive and unforgettable experience.
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