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Puyan Festival Closing Ceremony: A Night of Awards and Celebration

On Thursday, 13 Azar, starting at 1:00 PM, the Fine Arts Campus of the University of Tehran hosted the most exhilarating moments of the Puyan Festival. The closing ceremony was held after five days of competition, workshops, and discussion, bringing the first edition of this major event to a magnificent close. The hall was filled with excitement and anticipation as everyone waited to find out whose faces this year’s “smile” would land on among the young artists.

The Ceremony Opens with Remarks from Festival Officials

The ceremony opened with pleasant music and a screening of the “Crow” (“Kalagh”) teaser. Dr. Hamed Mazaherian, the festival’s president, then took the stage to speak, followed by Dr. Mohammad Fadavi, dean of the Faculty of Visual Arts. Both emphasized the importance of supporting the dynamic momentum of student animation. Amirhossein Azadi, the festival’s secretary, introduced the program and the awards in his remarks. He also thanked the hardworking organizing team, who had managed the festival’s proceedings smoothly and successfully throughout the five days.

Presenting the Puyan Festival’s Audience Awards

Excitement in the hall grew as the audience awards segment approached. Ms. Mina Mahmoudi, representing the selection committee, shared some remarks on the finer qualities of the submitted works. The golden trophies were then presented in order to the third-place, second-place, and finally first-place audience winners:

First Place, Audience Choice: “Travelous” by Samira Hosseini
Second Place, Audience Choice: “A Black and White Story” by Mohammad Mahdi Ghazizadeh
Third Place, Audience Choice: “The Man and the Window” by Fatemeh Ahmadi

Honoring the Custodians of Iranian Animation Heritage

The ceremony also made sure not to overlook the custodians of the art of animation. A video tribute to Master Abolfazl Razani was screened, and Master Ali Akbar Sadeghi was also honored. Distinguished professors of the University of Tehran, Professor Yekdaneh and Professor Nekouei, together with Arash Razani, presented tributes on behalf of the veteran masters of this art form.

Announcing the Jury Awards

After a screening of the teaser for the 25 selected films, the closing ceremony moved into its most anticipated segment: the announcement of the winners. The distinguished jury for this segment included Ms. Mahin Javaherian, Dr. Mohammad Fadavi, and professors Babak Nekooei, Farrokh Yekdaneh, and Amir Dehestani. The nominees in each specialized category were announced in turn, and excitement swept through the hall as the winners and nominees for Best Screenplay, Best Animation, and Best Direction were revealed.

Best Direction

The award for Best Direction went to “A Black and White Story” by Mohammad Mahdi Ghazizadeh, recognized for its artful direction of the production team, powerful visual approach, and narrative cohesion. An honorary diploma for Best Direction was also awarded to “Marut,” directed by Zahra Azimi.

Best Animation

“Bug,” made by Ali Masoumi, took home the award for Best Animation, in recognition of its creation of movement, rhythm, and lively energy in its handling of character and space. An honorary diploma for Best Animation was also awarded to “Poultry” (“Morgh-Sanan”) by Sara Alimoradi.

Best Screenplay

Narges Fazli received the main award in the screenplay category for writing “The Path We’ve Traveled,” recognized for its structured, humane storytelling. An honorary diploma for Best Screenplay was also awarded to “In the Last Years of Life,” written by Minasadat Ayatollahi.

The Puyan Grand Prize

Finally, it was time for the defining moment of the night: the Puyan Grand Prize. Amirhossein Azadi and Paria Sinaeian delivered moving remarks. The final winner was announced, with a special surprise, through a video message from Master Hossein Molayemi (who was not present in Iran), bringing the competition to an exciting close. The jury awarded the Puyan trophy and the festival’s main prize for “Best Animation” to “Travelous,” made by Samira Hosseini, in recognition of its creative world-building, cohesive narrative, and outstanding production quality.

A Promise for Next Year

The closing ceremony ended with a screening of the fifth-day teaser and the announcement of the date for the festival’s next edition. The first Puyan Festival was not just an event; it was a turning point that proved the vitality and talent within Iranian student animation is alive and thriving. This marked the end of one chapter and the beginning of a promise for an even bigger “smile” next year.