TEHRAN – Babak Khajehpasha’s “Land of Angels” has been selected for the official section of the 14th Asian Film Festival Barcelona (AFFBCN), which was launched in Barcelona, Spain, on October 22 and will run until November 1.

The film tells the story of the suffering of children in Gaza and portrays the human consequences of war through the experiences of a woman who struggles to survive while protecting a group of innocent children from the horrors of conflict, ILNA reported.

Amid the bombings and military offensive in Palestine, the story follows the painful and courageous journey of a woman trapped on the front line. As everything collapses around her, the protagonist takes on the dangerous task of surviving the war while trying to protect, feed, and guide a vulnerable group of innocent children, keeping them safe from the horrors of armed conflict. Through her perspective, the feature film becomes a deeply human portrait of the instinct to protect, the loss of childhood innocence, and civilian resilience under extreme conditions.

The film features Arab actors and centers on the lives, dreams, and struggles of children against the backdrop of the war in Palestine. Rather than presenting the conflict solely through political or military events, the film approaches it from the perspective of civilians, particularly children whose lives have been profoundly affected by the violence.

The production was filmed in Tehran over a period of one and a half years. The film’s international screenings began with its participation in the Kazan festival, following its successful national festival run in Iran.

“Land of Angels” received the Grand Prix for Best Feature Film at the 22nd Altyn Minbar Kazan International Film Festival. 

Prior to its appearance in Kazan, “Land of Angels” was the most decorated film at Iran’s 44th Fajr International Film Festival, where it received five Crystal Simorgh awards and eight honorary diplomas.

Among its Fajr honors, Khajehpasha received the jury’s special prize for directing, while Syrian actress Sulaf Fawakherji was honored for her performance. The film also received awards for set design, visual effects, and other categories.

Babak Khajehpasha is a director and screenwriter. Following a solid career in television, he achieved immediate international critical recognition with his debut feature film, “In the Arms of the Tree” (2023), a drama on family fractures that was officially selected to represent Iran at the Academy Awards.

With “The Land of Angels” (2026), Khajehpasha takes on the roles of screenwriter and director to deliver a humanitarian drama focused on civilian victims of contemporary conflicts in the Middle East. It has also been officially selected as Iran’s submission to the 99th Academy Awards in the best international feature film category.

The Asian Film Festival Barcelona is organized by Casa Asia. True to its commitment to promoting contemporary Asian cinema, the festival presents more than one hundred films representing the latest independent, experimental and auteur cinema from across the continent.

The selection brings together works from 25 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, mostly produced between 2025 and 2026.

This edition pays particular attention to emerging film industries in countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Cambodia, as well as established industries with a long history at the festival, including Iran, India, China, South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines.

The program also includes films from Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as productions from Australia and New Zealand.

According to its director, Menene Gras Balaguer, AFFBCN aims to establish itself as a leading international showcase for Asian cinema and to continue attracting new audiences. “We want more and more viewers to discover the vitality and talent of these film industries and to help ensure that their growing recognition translates into a greater presence in cinemas and at festivals. We are committed to cinema that brings us closer to the cultural diversity of Asia and invites us to understand the world from other perspectives.”

SS/SAB