🎬
Fajr Film Festival,
a classroom
for “
Royacity”
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The animated feature film “
Royacity”
directed by
Mohsen
Enayati
and produced by
Mostafa
Hassanabadi,
was officially released to the public
yesterday in the Art & Experience
cinema group.
This film,
which had previously participated
in the 32nd Fajr Film Festival,
faced direct and candid criticism
from local reviewers,
and now Mehdi
Jafari Jozani,
CEO of Mahva Entertainment Industries Factory,
describes that experience
as a “
classroom”
that helped the production team
better understand and apply
global cinema standards.
🏞️
Story
and message
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“
Royacity”
tells the story
of a group of children and teenagers
living in a fictional city
who stand up against
oppression and inequality.
The core message of the film
revolves around civil resistance,
collective empathy,
and building a brighter future
through mutual cooperation.
Visually, the film draws inspiration
from European and Japanese animations,
yet its world-building and symbolism
are deeply rooted in the traditional architecture
and cultural atmosphere of Kashan,
so that Iranian audiences
feel a stronger sense of connection.
🏭
A professional
behind-the-scenes pipeline
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Mahva Entertainment Industries Factory
handled a major share
of the rendering
and visual effects work for “
Royacity”.
More than 200
local artists and technicians from Kashan
participated in the pre-production,
production and post-production stages.
Mahva’s cloud-based rendering system,
powered by several high-performance servers,
made it possible to process frames rapidly,
while the in-house sound team
created a fresh and engaging score
that blends Iranian instruments
with electronic elements.
📝
Fajr Festival feedback
and candid criticism
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Jafari
Jozani
says:
“ The critics of the Fajr Film Festival, with their clear and precise comments, repeatedly showed how important international standards are to them. Each opinion illuminated a different part of our work and helped us improve our future projects.”
The initial responses showed that teenagers were particularly drawn to the realistic character development and ethical dilemmas of the story, while parents welcomed the educational potential of “ Royacity” in strengthening their children’s social skills.
🤝
Extensive cooperation
with institutions
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As one of the key hubs
for animation production in Iran,
Mahva has collaborated
with the Farabi Cinema Foundation,
the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance,
and several art universities.
Joint training workshops
were held for students and trainees in Kashan,
and this interaction led
to discovering new talents in the region
and upgrading the technical skills
of the studio’s team.
Jafari Jozani stresses:
“ Synergy with cultural and educational organizations is the key to sustaining and growing the country’s animation industry.”
🔮
Looking
ahead
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Given the audience reception
and the relative success at the Fajr Festival,
the team’s next project
is currently in the scriptwriting phase:
“Benyamin 2”,
which is planned to be produced
with a stronger budget and infrastructure.
The head of Mahva hopes
that by increasing investment
in research and technology,
a new era of Iranian animation will begin—
one that, in addition to the domestic market,
can secure a significant presence
at international festivals
and global box offices.
