‘The Last Fiction’ Set To Become First Iranian Animated Feature To Qualify For Oscars (Exclusive)

Based on a chapter of the Shahnameh, Iran’s millennium-old national epic, The Last Fiction tells the story of Kaveh, a blacksmith who leads a revolt to destroy the devil that has appeared in a prince’s soul. The action-packed film is hand-drawn, with plenty of cgi and vfx. The director is Ashkan Rahgozar, who founded Hoorakhsh. The studio is known in its home country for its tv series, music videos, shorts, and video games.

In the nine years we’ve been tracking The Last Fiction, its creators have made clear their ambitions for the film. In 2016, Rahgozar told us that he believes the film will do well internationally because it’s “full of action, drama, and mystery,” and also contains deeper thematic elements that play well across cultures. “The main concept of the film is about humanity,” he said. “This film wants to show how a hero can become a villain and how a villain can be good sometimes. It just depends on the path they choose.”

For more information on the film, head to the official English-language website. Screening times can be found on Arena Cinelounge’s website. According to Rahgozar, The Last Fiction will also roll out across Iran and some European countries starting in mid-October — in some regions, the release will be theatrical, and in others it will be on streaming platforms.