AZADI accepts all genres and shows an amazing mix of short and feature length films, the best indie films on the festival circuit, before they hit theaters. Audiences vote for “Best of the Fest” and are invited to come mix and mingle with filmmakers, cast and crew at great after parties.
The mission of the AZADI (Formerly known as Tehran International Cinefest) is to expand the arts . We hope to make this happen by providing an opportunity for individuals and organizations to come together and celebrate independent films, filmmakers and other local artists. Azadi is designed to include and acknowledge the creative contributions of youth as well as adults while benefiting the community educationally, socially, and economically.

Best International Feature Film ($700)
Best International Short Film ($300)
Best Foreign Language Feature Film ($700)
Best Foreign Language Short Film ($300)
Best Director for Feature Film
Best Director for Short Film
Best Editing
Best Screenplay ($500)
Best Short Screenplay ($250)
Best Cinematography
Best Actor
Best Actress

Entrants must submit only an ONLINE digital version of their film for viewing consideration. NO DVD's, Blu-Rays or Computer Files will be accepted.
All submitted films are subtitled in English. (For English language films is not necessary.)
Notification will be emailed. Please do not call the Festival office. All correspondence will be done through email ONLY to the original submitter.
If your film is not in the English language, your film will be considered as a foreign film.
(foreign language film without sub will be disqualified)
By applying your film, you are accepting: if nominated, your film will be screened at the festival.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • It was a great experience. Everyone was very professional and our film got a lot of exposure. Thank you so much.

    September 2020
  • A profit making scam festival that needs to be reported to filmfreeway. Following Hollywood Reporter’s article on scam festivals, filmmakers need to be far more savvy when submitting their films to such festivals. Selection by this festival does not lead to a screening. More so, I experienced very poor communication, where they emailed me 3 months after the festival to inform me that I was selected. Having contacted them to clarify, I was told the festival had happened, but my selected film was not screened as “only finalists and winners are screened”. So what was the point of the selection you may wonder. And the reward was a laurel!!! Who pays a festival to judge their film, and if accepted, to receive a laurel. Clearly this is one of the many profit making scam festivals, and they have even tried to bribe me to not write this review for a refund! I owe it to other filmmakers to be honest in my review.

    November 2019
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    Response from festival:

    As you lied a lot in your review, we are going to tell the whole truth about you without being kind anymore!

    1. The thing that you are saying we emailed you three months after, is a TOTAL LIE! ( Your first lie) We have emailed everyone on the EXACT DATE that is mentioned on Filmfreeway. How is it possible that everybody knew about it except you?! (Of course there is proof because we sent an Email from Filmfreeway, too!)

    2. IT IS MENTIONED IN OUR RULES THAT ONLY NOMINEES WILL BE SCREENED. SO READ THE RULES BEFORE SUBMITTING TO FESTIVALS!

    3. NOBODY told you not to write a review (Your second lie) and we are so happy that you published your review so everyone can understand how ignorant and what a big liar you are!

    3. Nowhere is mentioned that if you submit to our festival your film is going to screen! As you might know, we receive more than 3000 submissions yearly and it's insane to screen every film!

    So get your information straight before putting someone else's effort under question!

    3. The fact that we told you we give you a refund, as we mentioned in the email, is because we are no longer interested to have someone who is TRYING TO FORCE US TO SCREEN HIS FILM WITHOUT ANY REASON. (We have the proof with your emails) (Your third lie)

    As a matter of fact, we are not interested to have your name in the history of our festival. AND YOU CALLED OUR FESTIVAL WORTHLESS in your email.
    (Our festival is one of the cheapest festivals, and we grant almost $3000 prizes in total! and your movie was submitted with a discount code!)

    4. As you can see, we have nice reviews about our communication and we have been celebrating our festival every year with filmmakers from all over the world who check their emails on time!!!!! and these reviews also prove that you are lying again about communication too!! (Your fourth lie)

    5. You are hypocrite too! You called our festival and Laurel WORTHLESS but you used it on the trailer and the poster of your movie!!!

    SO
    - If you check your email three months after notification, IT IS YOUR FAULT
    - If you are ignorant enough to bully around the web and lie about everything to get your film screened, IT IS YOUR FAULT
    - If you don't read the rules before submitting your movie, IT IS YOUR FAULT.
    - If you regret why you lied so much in the public and now everybody knows what a huge liar you are, IT. IS. YOUR. FAULT.

    At the end, we are so sorry that still there are people like you in this nice and friendly industry!

  • I'm glad I submitted to your festival! The communication is great and very friendly. Honoured to have been selected among great films. Thank you very much!

    September 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Dear Uwe,
    We are greatly honored to have The Radicalization of Jeff Boyd
    as a nominee.
    Let's hope the best for the next year!

  • Tehran International Cinefest is a good film festival.
    The choice of the film is wonderful.
    The contact from the festival staff is kind and helpful.
    I want to go be entry next time.

    September 2019
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    Response from festival:

    Dear Keishi,
    Happy to have your talent at our festival.
    Hope to see you next year.
    Cheers.

  • martin smith

    absolutely well organized. Really enjoyed it.

    November 2018