Ninth Iranian Film Festival in Tokyo Dedicated to the Memory of Minaab's Fallen Children

The ninth Iranian film festival opened in Tokyo, Japan, on Friday. The event took place at the Libra Hall of the Minato City Gender Equality Center. The festival was organized by the Cultural Attaché Office of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Japan in collaboration with the Minato City International Affairs Center, the Minato City Municipality, the NGO MOCT, and the Tehran Museum of World Cultures, according to ILNA agency.

The central theme of this year's festival is the memory of the 'Fallen Children of Minaab' and the contemplation of the human aspects of this tragedy through various programs and works.

On February 28, the Shajareh Tayebe Primary School in Minaab, Hormozgan Province, became the site of a devastating massacre following the start of strikes against Iran by the United States and Israel. When dozens of girls and boys aged 7 to 12 were starting lessons, the school was attacked by a rocket, causing the building to collapse. The children and teachers were buried under the rubble. Iranian authorities confirmed the final death toll as 168 people, with at least 95 injured, which was one of the most horrific events of the first day of the conflict.

During the opening ceremony, which was attended by the Iranian Ambassador to Japan, the Iranian Cultural Attaché, and various Iranian and Japanese cultural and artistic figures, the family of the deceased Makan Nasiri was present as honored guests. Makan Nasiri was a seven-year-old Iranian boy who died as a result of a US missile strike. He is the only child from this attack whose remains have never been found after 140 days of searching under the rubble. An empty grave has been created in his honor, and his belongings—a blood-stained blue sweater and a pair of cream sneakers—are kept in a glass cabinet at the local mosque. Experts believe that the direct missile strike on Makan Nasiri left no discoverable remains.

The renowned musician, composer, and researcher of South Iranian music, Mohsen Sharifiian, will perform on Saturday, playing pieces on the neyb (flute) in memory of the children of Minaab.

The festival includes six feature films and two documentaries, all screened with Japanese subtitles. Among the feature films are 'Land of Angels' (2026) by Babak Hajepashi, 'Tears of Hoor' (2025) by Mehdi Jafari, 'Aromatic' (2023) by Hadi Moghadamdoost, 'No Appointment' (2022) by Behrouz Shoaibi, 'Bodyguard' (2016) by Ibrahim Hatamiakia, and 'Wind Carpet' (2003) by Kamal Tabrizi. The documentaries include 'Golden Blood of Ameneh' (2025) by Habiba Ahmadzadeh and 'Minaab' (2026).

Another significant part of the festival was the invitation extended to the director and Japanese actor from the film 'Wind Carpet,' which is a joint production by Iran and Japan. A panel discussion and speeches by these guests are planned after the film screening.

The ninth Iranian film festival in Tokyo is open to the public and will run until August 2.