Iranian Documentary ‘Forgotten’ Shines at 10th Planeta.Doc Festival
In an exciting development for environmental cinema, the Iranian documentary “Forgotten”, directed by Saied Nabi and Maryam Khadivi, is currently competing at the 10th International Festival of Socio-Environmental Cinema Planeta.Doc in Santa Catarina, Brazil. This festival showcases exceptional environmental films from around the globe, highlighting critical ecological issues and inspiring audiences to take action.
The Planeta.Doc festival is renowned for featuring prominent works that address pressing environmental challenges. Notable international television networks, including National Geographic, Love Nature, Canal Off, and Travel Box Brazil, are participating, indicating the high caliber of films being presented this year.
“Forgotten” tells the powerful story of Abdolkazem Saki, a world and Paralympic champion who lives adjacent to the Hoor al-Azim wetland. This narrative documentary intimately depicts Saki’s daily struggles to maintain his physical fitness while reflecting on the fate of the wetland, which is intricately linked to his life.
The Hoor al-Azim wetland is the largest border wetland in Iran, spanning more than 120,000 hectares in the Dasht-e Azadegan region of Khuzestan province, located in the southwest of the country. This vital ecosystem plays a crucial role in:
- Economic functions: It supports the livelihoods of local residents.
- Dust control: The wetland helps mitigate dust storms, contributing to environmental health.
- Tourism development: It attracts visitors interested in nature and conservation.
IRIB Media Trade has secured the international distribution rights for “Forgotten,” which has already gained recognition by participating in various festivals. Earlier this year, it was featured at the 29th International Ecological TV Festival “To Save and Preserve” in Russia and the 4th World Film Festival Kolkata (WFFK) in India.
Saied Nabi and Maryam Khadivi, the talented directors behind this impactful documentary, previously created a short film titled “Standing with the Wolf,” which earned them several accolades, including an award from the Irkutsk Regional Museum of Local Lore at the 23rd Baikal International Film Festival of Documentary and Popular-Science Films “People and Environment” in Russia last September.
The Planeta.Doc festival stands out as one of Latin America’s leading platforms for environmental cinema, with this year’s program revolving around three primary themes:
- Climate change: Addressing the urgent need for action against global warming.
- Indigenous peoples: Highlighting the relationship between Indigenous communities and their environments.
- Environmental justice: Advocating for equitable treatment of all communities in environmental policy.
The overarching goal of this festival is to raise public awareness, support creative works focused on ecological issues, and draw attention from policymakers to the urgent environmental challenges facing our planet today.
The tenth edition of the Planeta.Doc festival commenced on September 25 and will continue until December 25. It features a hybrid format that includes an extensive online program accessible to audiences across Brazil. Attendees can expect a curated selection of international, Brazilian, and regional (Catarinense) documentaries, animations, and virtual reality films centered on socio-environmental and scientific themes.
As the festival unfolds, “Forgotten” stands as a testament to the power of documentary filmmaking in highlighting critical environmental issues and inspiring change. With its compelling narrative and focus on the Hoor al-Azim wetland’s significance, this film not only showcases the struggles of one individual but also sheds light on the broader environmental concerns that affect countless lives.
As audiences engage with powerful stories like “Forgotten,” there is hope that awareness and advocacy for environmental protection will grow, encouraging collective efforts towards sustainability and preservation of our planet.
