History of Iranian animation
Encyclopedia
The oldest records of animation in Persia
(Iran
) dates back to 5000 years ago. An animated piece on an earthen goblet that belongs to 5000 years ago was found in Burnt City
in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, southeastern Iran. On this ancient piece that can be called the first animation of the world, the artist has portrayed a goat that jumps toward a tree and eats its leaves. Similar forms of animated pottery can also be found throughout medieval Islamic Persia
.
The art of animation as practiced in modern day Iran started in the 1950s. Iran's animation owes largely to the animator Noureddin Zarrinkelk
. Zarrinkelk was instrumental in founding the Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA) in Tehran in collaboration with the late father of Iranian graphics Morteza Momayez
and other fellow artists like Farshid Mesghali
, Ali Akbar Sadeghi
, and Arapik Baghdasarian.
Over the last few decades Iranian animation has found international reputation. The Iranian animation film The Hole made by Vahid Nasirian and produced by the Experimental and Documentary Film Center was awarded second prize at the 19th Odense International Film Festival, Denmark.
Tehran International Animation Festival was established in February 1999. The festival was aimed to bring together Iranian and foreign animators and animation films and providing a showcase for unknown potentials of this type of cinema. In 1999, 896 films from Iran and 32 other countries applied for participation in the festival, of which 488 titles were selected for screening during the four days of the event. Other highlights of the first edition of the Festival were special screenings dedicated to commemoration of Feodor Khitrouk (well-known Russian Animator) and Esfandiar Ahmadieh (Father of Iranian animation cinema), who were themselves present in the event, as well as exhibition of animation films of Studio Pannonia of Hungary
, ASIFA of South Korea
, and works from Czech Republic
, Slovakia
, Hungary, Yugoslavia
and Russia
. Retrospectives of works of Bruno Bozzetto
and Ali Akbar Sadeghi
and screening of student animation films were other sections of the festival. The festival also paid homage to Jean-Luc Xiberras whose name is interwoven with Annecy Festival.
History of Iran
The history of Iran has been intertwined with the history of a larger historical region, comprising the area from the Danube River in the west to the Indus River and Jaxartes in the east and from the Caucasus, Caspian Sea, and Aral Sea in the north to the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and Egypt...
(Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
) dates back to 5000 years ago. An animated piece on an earthen goblet that belongs to 5000 years ago was found in Burnt City
Shahr-i Sokhta
Shahr-e Sūkhté , also spelled as Shahr-e Sukhteh and Shahr-i Shōkhta, is an archaeological site of a sizable Bronze Age urban settlement, associated with the Jiroft culture. It is located in Sistan and Baluchistan Province, the southeastern part of Iran, on the bank of the Helmand River, near the...
in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, southeastern Iran. On this ancient piece that can be called the first animation of the world, the artist has portrayed a goat that jumps toward a tree and eats its leaves. Similar forms of animated pottery can also be found throughout medieval Islamic Persia
Islam in Iran
The Islamic conquest of Persia led to the end of the Sassanid Empire and the eventual decline of the Zoroastrian religion in Persia. However, the achievements of the previous Persian civilizations were not lost, but were to a great extent absorbed by the new Islamic polity...
.
The art of animation as practiced in modern day Iran started in the 1950s. Iran's animation owes largely to the animator Noureddin Zarrinkelk
Noureddin Zarrinkelk
Noureddin Zarrinkelk is a renowned Iranian animator, concept artist, editor, graphic designer, illustrator, layout artist, photographer, script writer and sculptor....
. Zarrinkelk was instrumental in founding the Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA) in Tehran in collaboration with the late father of Iranian graphics Morteza Momayez
Morteza Momayez
Morteza Momayez was an Iranian graphic designer. He was one of the founders of Iranian Graphic Design Society and held a membership to Alliance Graphique Internationale...
and other fellow artists like Farshid Mesghali
Farshid Mesghali
Farshid Mesghali is an Iranian graphic designer, illustrator, animator and author.- Biography :Studying painting at Tehran University, he began his professional career as a graphic designer and illustrator in 1964. After his graduation, he joined the Institute for the Intellectual Development for...
, Ali Akbar Sadeghi
Ali Akbar Sadeghi
Ali Akbar Sadeghi a graduate of the College of Art, University of Tehran, is one of the most prolific and successful Iranian painters and artists....
, and Arapik Baghdasarian.
Over the last few decades Iranian animation has found international reputation. The Iranian animation film The Hole made by Vahid Nasirian and produced by the Experimental and Documentary Film Center was awarded second prize at the 19th Odense International Film Festival, Denmark.
Tehran International Animation Festival was established in February 1999. The festival was aimed to bring together Iranian and foreign animators and animation films and providing a showcase for unknown potentials of this type of cinema. In 1999, 896 films from Iran and 32 other countries applied for participation in the festival, of which 488 titles were selected for screening during the four days of the event. Other highlights of the first edition of the Festival were special screenings dedicated to commemoration of Feodor Khitrouk (well-known Russian Animator) and Esfandiar Ahmadieh (Father of Iranian animation cinema), who were themselves present in the event, as well as exhibition of animation films of Studio Pannonia of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, ASIFA of South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, and works from Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, Hungary, Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Retrospectives of works of Bruno Bozzetto
Bruno Bozzetto
Bruno Bozzetto is an Italian cartoon animator, creator of many short pieces, mainly of a political or satirical nature. He created his first animated short "Tapum! the weapons' story" in 1958 at the age of 20. His most famous character, a hapless little man named "Signor Rossi" Bruno Bozzetto...
and Ali Akbar Sadeghi
Ali Akbar Sadeghi
Ali Akbar Sadeghi a graduate of the College of Art, University of Tehran, is one of the most prolific and successful Iranian painters and artists....
and screening of student animation films were other sections of the festival. The festival also paid homage to Jean-Luc Xiberras whose name is interwoven with Annecy Festival.