Iranian short animation The Route (2025), directed by Babak Beigi, has been officially selected for the International Competition of the 13th Insomnia International Open-Air Animation Film Festival. Taking place from July 17 to 21 in Kaluga and Moscow, the festival celebrates bold, independent animation. This selection marks another milestone in the film’s international journey through top-tier festivals across Asia and Europe.
A Dark Journey into Conscience: Introducing The Route
In just 19 minutes, The Route constructs a dystopian vision that is as emotionally haunting as it is visually compelling. Set in a bleak, unnamed land, the film follows a truck driver who, day after day, carries condemned prisoners to their final destination: the firing squad. Initially detached from the horror around him, the driver gradually becomes tormented by what he sees—and more importantly, what he tries not to see. One night, a confrontation with the truth shatters his protective numbness and forces him into moral reckoning.
The film explores themes of denial, complicity, and the psychological toll of institutional violence. Through atmospheric animation, evocative sound design, and minimalist dialogue, The Route tells a universal story of moral awakening in the shadow of authoritarian systems.
The Route is the brainchild of Iranian filmmaker and visual artist Babak Beigi, who not only wrote and directed the film but also served as its editor, animator, storyboard artist, and character designer. The film’s haunting world was enriched by Denag Malekian’s painted backgrounds, Zohreh Aliakbari’s unsettling sound design, and a powerful original score by Tohid Foruzan.
Produced by Raha Zandiyeh, Pooria Khalaj Tehrani, and Babak Beigi himself, the film stands as a testament to the strength of Iran’s independent animation scene, which continues to rise despite limited resources and structural challenges.
The Insomnia International Animation Film Festival, now in its 13th edition, is unlike any other. Held in the scenic forests near Kaluga, with additional screenings in Moscow, Insomnia is not just a festival—it’s an experience. With audiences camping under the stars, films are screened on giant open-air screens through the night. The festival prides itself on being a truly independent animation platform, embracing artistic experimentation, political edge, and stylistic innovation.
Each year, Insomnia awards prizes in several categories, including its prestigious Grand Prix ($1000), the Profnastil Prize for best professional short animation, and the Equilibrium Prize for best non-narrative work. The Route will compete in the International Competition, aiming for recognition in one of these highly competitive sections.
The Insomnia selection adds to a growing list of festival appearances for The Route, which has already screened at major international events:
These appearances highlight the film’s universal resonance, bridging cultural, linguistic, and geopolitical divides through the power of visual storytelling. “Insomnia’s forest setting is perfect for a film like The Route. It’s about being lost in moral darkness—so screening it literally at night, surrounded by nature, feels poetic,” said Babak Beigi. “We’re honored to see this Iranian animation stand among the most daring works from around the world. Insomnia champions exactly the kind of bold, independent vision that The Route represents,” added Raha Zandiyeh, producer.
Following its screening at Insomnia, The Route will continue its festival circuit with additional international selections to be announced later this summer. Negotiations are also underway for curated online platforms and special screenings through Raft Films’ global exhibition initiative.
The Route, written and directed by Tehran-born animator Babak Beigi, has been officially selected for the 2025 Open World Animation Festival (OWAF) in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Screening on November 9 in the “Iranian Independent Animation” showcase, the short depicts a truck driver who transports prisoners to their executions until one night
The animated short film The Route, directed by Babak Beigi, has been awarded the Special Distinction of the Jury at the Insomnia International Animation Festival 2025 in Russia. Praised for its “ruthless psychology and relentless pursuit of dramatic experiments,” the film adds another milestone to its growing list of international
The Route, directed by Babak Beigi, will screen in the International Competition of the 13th Insomnia International Animation Film Festival (July 17–21, 2025) in Kaluga and Moscow, Russia. The festival’s open-air setting and commitment to truly independent animation offer a fitting stage for the film’s chilling vision of dystopia and
The animated short film The Route, directed by Babak Beigi, has been officially selected for the main competition at the Imaxinaria Animation Festival 2025 in Spain. This marks another milestone for the film, which has already gained recognition on the international festival circuit. Distributed by Raft Films, The Route explores
