The Guardians of the Sun animation held its press conference on January 31, marking the opening day of the 44th Fajr Film Festival.
According to IBland’s News, Producers and directors emphasized the film’s roots in Iranian mythology and the need for mass production to keep cultural stories alive for children.
Press Conference Highlights
The press event took place at Mellat Cinema Complex with the presence of:
- Mehdi Jafari Jozani, Producer
- Mehrdad Mehrabi, Director
- Moein Karimi, Production Manager
- Amir Safaian, VFX Manager
- Amirhossein Ataei, Dubbing Manager
Jozani opened the conference with a tribute to young audience members lost since June 13, stressing the emotional connection between creators and their viewers.
Non-Competitive Section and Festival Participation
Regarding the animation’s non-competitive status, Jozani explained that several animations could not complete technical production on time. Festival regulations require three animations to compete, but he requested that the Guardians of the Sun animation still be reviewed by the judges.
Production Team and Cultural Roots
Karimi, recalling Iranian filmmaker Bahram Beyzaei, stated that the Guardians of the Sun animation took around two years to produce with contributions from 200 young Iranians. The storyline revolves around cultural heritage, with heroes striving to protect an ancient tablet in Iran.
Mehrabi added that while the animation targets children, it was designed to engage families and adult audiences as well, highlighting the potential for Iranian animations to explore local themes.
Advanced Visual Techniques
Safaian, who joined the team during the final stages of “The Legend of Sepehr,” explained that Guardians of the Sun animation implemented new lighting and rendering techniques to enhance VFX, following a carefully planned visual approach from the beginning.
Mythological Inspiration
Karimi detailed the inspiration behind the story: the animation draws from Iranian myths, featuring a hero shaped like a ram, inspired by historical pottery designs. Cultural elements from Iran are present throughout the animation, reinforcing national identity and storytelling.
Need for Mass Production
Jozani stressed that many children today are unfamiliar with Iranian stories. “To address this, we must invest in mass production of animations to pass cultural narratives to the next generation,” he said. He noted that Iran’s National Development Plan also emphasizes promoting indigenous stories.
“Competing with international productions requires cooperation between national media and trend-setting platforms. Producing a single work is not enough,” Jozani added.
Funding and Industry Outlook
The producer stated that if the animation industry adopts an international perspective, it can attract private investment. The Guardians of the Sun animation successfully secured investors without relying on a fixed government budget.
Character Design and Originality
Mehrabi commented that while some character designs may resemble other works due to the fantasy genre, all characters were originally created for this animation, and no direct references to existing characters were made.
Source: Mehrnews