According to the Soureh Cinema Organization, West Sky, produced by Habib Valinejad and co-produced by the Soureh Cinema Organization and the Farabi Cinema Foundation, was awarded the festival’s top honor in the narrative feature category.
Held from May 22 to 29, 2025, in Novy Kherson, located in the Sevastopol region, the Golden Knight Forum is one of the most prominent and long-standing cultural film festivals in Russian-speaking countries.
West Sky is a wartime drama that captures the early days of the Iran–Iraq war, focusing on the heroic efforts of Iran’s Army Aviation (Havanirooz) pilots in repelling enemy forces. Through a cinematic lens, the film explores themes of patriotism, bravery, and sacrifice.
This year’s edition featured films from ۲۰ countries, including Iran, Russia, Germany, Switzerland, Turkey, India, China, and Serbia, and hosted more than ۲۰۰ screenings across its various sections.
Founded in ۱۹۹۲, the Golden Knight International Film Forum operates under the motto “For Moral Ideals, For the Elevation of the Human Spirit”. Over the years, it has been hosted in multiple countries such as Russia, Belarus, Serbia, Bulgaria, and the Transnistria region, offering a platform for films with ethical, spiritual, cultural, and social themes.
The festival is renowned for its independent approach and its commitment to showcasing value-driven cinema, which has earned it a distinguished status among socially conscious filmmakers and artists worldwide.
The international distribution of West Sky is managed by the Soureh International Center.
