Busan: Iranian cinema’s most celebrated filmmaker Majid Majidi's Midday Meal has reportedly won the top prize at South Korea's Busan International Film Festival.
The film was selected from 13 contenders at this year's festival.
Reports also said the award would make Midday Meal eligible for consideration in the Academy Awards' international feature film category.
Majidi is known for directing films including Children of Heaven, The Colour of Paradise, Baran and The Song of Sparrows. Baran explores issues related to Afghan refugees and highlights poverty, identity, and gender inequality in Iranian society.
His 1997 film Children of Heaven was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, now known as Best International Feature Film.The Busan International Film Festival is held annually in South Korea and provides a platform for films and filmmakers from across Asia.
The reported win adds another festival award to Majidi's career, which spans more than three decades.
The festival confirmed the award at its closing ceremony on 15 October 2026. The seven member jury, chaired by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou, unanimously selected Midday Meal. The film also received a 50 million South Korean won prize, about USD 37,000.
The film follows a teacher in an Iranian village who turns to smuggling to fund his school. Its Busan award qualifies it for submission to the Academy Awards' Best International Feature Film category, but does not guarantee an Oscar nomination.
