Director: Ashkan Rahgozar
Cast: Ashkan Khatibi, Baran Kosari, Hamed Behdad, Hassan Pourshirazi, Leila Hatami
Akharin Dastan (The Last Fiction) is a 2020 Iranian animated feature directed by Ashkan Rahgozar, drawing on Ferdowsi's Shahnameh to tell the ancient struggle between light and darkness in Persia. It stands as the first fully Iranian-produced animated feature film.
What is Akharin Dastan about?
In the ancient kingdom of Jamkard, the mighty ruler Jamshid defeats the forces of darkness and grows drunk on his own power. He hands authority to the ambitious Zahak, who seals a dark bargain and soon finds serpents growing from his shoulders — fed each day by the minds of the innocent. As Zahak's tyranny tightens, nightmares plague him with visions of a future avenger. Meanwhile, a young man named Afaridoun is raised in hiding, destined to challenge the shadow king. Before he can face Zahak's armies, he must first overcome the doubts and fears inside himself. A blacksmith named Kaveh ignites the spark of revolt among the people. Whether that flame can truly end the eternal contest between darkness and light is the question at the heart of this centuries-old story.
Cast & crew
Director Ashkan Rahgozar leads a voice cast of celebrated Iranian screen talent. Leila Hatami, one of Iran's most decorated actresses, brings depth to her role, joined by Baran Kosari, Hamed Behdad, Hassan Pourshirazi, Majid Mozaffari, Melika Sharifinia, Parviz Parastoei, and Ashkan Khatibi — a collective whose stage and screen credentials span decades of Persian cinema.
Context & significance
For Persian-speaking audiences worldwide, the Shahnameh is not simply literature — it is identity. Ferdowsi's tenth-century epic gave the Iranian nation its mythological memory after centuries of upheaval, and its heroes — Kaveh, Afaridoun, Feridoun — are household names from Tehran to Toronto. Akharin Dastan makes that heritage visual and fully animated for the first time entirely inside Iran, a cultural milestone. Diaspora viewers who grew up hearing these stories recited at Nowruz gatherings will find the film both familiar and freshly rendered, while younger audiences encounter a mythic world that shaped the Persian language itself.
Where & how to watch
Akharin Dastan is available on K-Time. The film carries its original Persian audio. Watch on your browser, television, or phone — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, and no extra download required. Cancel your K-Time subscription anytime.