Hosseinpour wins top prize at Toronto Nollywood festival
Iranian director Ramin Hosseinpour picked up the Special Jury Award and the trophy for Best Short Documentary at the 9th Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF), which ran from September 6 to 13 in the Canadian city
The short film ‘Sculpture,’ entered as an official nominee in both the directing and documentary categories, secure Hosseinpour’s second major international recognition this year, inn.ir reported
The festival, recognized as a qualifying event for the Canadian Screen Awards, is regarded as one of North America’s more prominent showcases for independent cinema
Hosseinpour was also invited to serve on TINFF’s international industry panel, underscoring what organizers described as his “growing stature” on the global circuit. His documentary remains eligible for the 2026 Academy Awards in the United States, Britain’s BAFTAs and Canadian Screen Awards
Away from the red carpet, Hosseinpour is at work on ‘The Pretender,’ a short centered on the life and philosophy of medieval Persian poet and mystic Attar. The director, who is also an architect and composer, has described his multi-disciplinary practice as shaping a “distinctive path” within contemporary documentary filmmaking
Festival jurors said ‘Sculpture’ stood out for its “artistry” and “conceptual depth”, marking another step for Iranian non-fiction cinema on the international stage