The only film from Iran participating in the competition section of the German festival, “Alone Together” was given the Special Mention of the Teens Competition section by the jury, ILNA reported.

“As a jury, we have taken it upon ourselves not to award ‘honorable mentions’ lightly. The child actor in particular amazed us. From the very first scene, you could identify with him through his acting. We were quickly drawn into a different reality; that of a little boy in a difficult situation. Themes such as justice, responsibility, and family are portrayed and conveyed through the characters, making the movie relevant to the world,” the jury of the Teens Competition section said in a statement.

A 2024 production, the 15-minute film follows the journey of a young boy traveling alone on a bus. One winter night, he draws the attention of the police, the driver, and fellow passengers at a roadside checkpoint.

Alireza Sanifar, Parham Gholamlou, Sadegh Barghaei, Saba Amiri, and Mohammad Movahednia play in the film.

LUCAS International Festival for Young Film Lovers is Germany’s oldest festival for young audiences. Within the competition sections for “Kids,” “Teens,” and “Youngsters,” LUCAS puts its focus on outstanding, international productions of children and youth films, including all film forms from fiction, and documentary, to animation and experimental formats.

During the festival week, filmmakers, producers, film literacy experts, and professionals from all over the world meet in Frankfurt, attend the festival program, and discuss the films with the young audience.