IRANIAN FILM FESTIVAL 2026 BRINGS OUTSTANDING LINEUP FOR MALAYSIAN AUDIENCES

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 (Bernama) -- The fourth Iranian Film Festival (IFF) 2026 returns this year, bringing a selection of outstanding, world-acclaimed Iranian films to movie fans in the country.

The festival, scheduled from Feb 6 to 8, will feature six selected works of contemporary Iranian cinema, which will be screened in Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, and Kota Kinabalu.

In a statement, the Cultural Counsellor of the Iranian Embassy in Malaysia, Dr Habibreza Arzani, said this year’s festival highlights cinema’s role as a universal language that connects nations, offering Malaysian audiences deeper insight into Iran’s rich cultural, social, and human narratives through film.

The festival will also feature a special appearance by internationally acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi, whose participation reflects the strong cultural cooperation between Iran and Malaysia, supported by the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS).

“Masterclasses led by Majid Majidi will be held at FINAS Malaysia and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). This offers an exceptional opportunity for Malaysian professors, students, and filmmakers to learn from one of the world’s most influential directors," he said.

The statement noted that Iranian cinema, including its growing animation sector, has gained significant international recognition and could open avenues for future academic, artistic, and technical collaboration between the two countries.

The six movies to be screened during the festival are The West Sky, Ahmed, Tear of the Reedbed, Dreamland (animation), Guardian of the Field and The Weeping Willow which was directed by Majidi. 

All screenings will be free to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, with tickets available one hour before each screening at selected Golden Screen Cinemas outlets, the embassy added.

More information on the festival can be obtained on the Embassy’s website at https://malaysia.mfa.gov.ir/en, Iranian Cultural Centre Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ IranCulturalCenterMalaysia/  or the GSC website at https://www.gsc.com.my.

-- BERNAMA