Hiroshima-based Iranian film online theater "Shireen Box" grand opens August 6.

A Hiroshima-based organization that has continued medical support, peace exchange, and cultural exchange with Iran will launch the online theater "Shireen Box," specializing in Iranian films, on August 6, 2026, as an extension of its activities. https://shireenbox.com/ The platform will introduce and distribute films that are rarely seen in Japan, with original Japanese subtitles, providing an opportunity to experience the lives and emotions of people beyond the news. Currently, after confirming and preparing the viewing environment, 15 films have resumed public release, and film releases and information dissemination are progressing towards the grand opening on August 6.

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[What is Shireen Box]

Shireen Box is an online theater that delivers Iranian films, which have few opportunities to be introduced in Japan, to film fans, people interested in world cultures, and those who want to experience works that contemplate peace and society. The films distributed focus on Iranian cinema and cover diverse themes such as war and peace, family life, women's lives, children's perspectives, medicine and care, regional culture, and humor. It aims to be a cultural dissemination media for encountering world lives, emotions, prayers, and hopes through film, rather than just a film distribution service.

[About 15 Films Available with Original Japanese Subtitles]

Shireen Box currently has about 15 films available.

Key titles include "Walnut Tree" (Sardasht), a true story based on the victims of chemical weapons; "Junod," an animated film depicting the life of Dr. Marcel Junod, a Swiss doctor who saved hibakusha in Hiroshima; "The Painting Pool," a quiet depiction of family love; "A Cube of Sugar," portraying the daily life of an Iranian family; "Woodpecker," about women's lives; and the comedy film "Lizard," which garnered attention in Iran. By delivering Iranian films, which are rarely seen in Japan, with original Japanese subtitles, we aim to provide a viewing experience that allows Japanese audiences to delve deeper into the background and emotions of the works.

[An Experiential Film Journey from Hiroshima for August 6]

Shireen Box was born from the continuous exchange with Iran by an organization that has been involved in medical support and peace and cultural exchange for many years. At its origin lies the spirit of Dr. Marcel Junod, who provided relief in Hiroshima immediately after the atomic bombing. The desire to act for the sake of distant others has been inherited by the land of Hiroshima and has expanded into exchange with Iran. With the grand opening on August 6, Shireen Box will deliver opportunities to contemplate peace and world lives through film.

PHOTO DURING VISIT TO JAPAN

[Future Developments]

There is a possibility that Iranian film industry professionals may visit Japan for cultural exchange in Hiroshima, coinciding with the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony on August 6, 2026. While not finalized due to international circumstances, Omid has consistently fostered exchange connecting Hiroshima and Iran, and Shireen Box is a cultural dissemination project that extends this activity.

[Representative's Comment] (Shizuko Tani / Omid General Incorporated Association)

Shireen Box was launched not just as a film distribution service, but as an entry point to understanding the world through film. Iranian films meticulously depict not only issues of war and society but also feelings for family, daily life, prayers, and hopes. Through film, one can encounter the expressions and emotions of people that are not visible in the news alone. Towards August 6, we want to deliver opportunities from Hiroshima to contemplate peace and the lives of people around the world through film. [Production of Shireen Box] (Tomoko Deguchi / Crie Inc.)

About 20 years ago, when I was a university student, accompanying an exchange to Iran was my first encounter with this activity. Last year, I reunited with the representative after about 20 years, and together with film industry professionals from Iran who visited Japan, we toured the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony, the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, and the Okunoshima Poison Gas Museum. I also attended interviews with survivors of the Iran-Iraq War, and once again felt the difficulty and importance of inheriting the memory of peace.

Now, working in the field of visual media myself, I am delighted to be involved in the launch of Shireen Box. I hope that film and video will serve as an entry point for mutual understanding across countries and cultures.

[Service Overview]

Service Name: Shireen Box

("Shireen" is a popular female name in Persian-speaking regions, meaning "sweet" or "lovely")

Content: Online theater primarily featuring Iranian films

Number of Films Released: Approximately 15 films (as of June 2026). Two films will be released each month.

Features: Distributes Iranian films with original Japanese subtitles. Many films are premiering in Japan.

Scheduled Grand Opening Date: August 6, 2026

Viewing Method: After membership registration, eligible films can be viewed online (1000 yen/month or 10,000 yen/year).

Shireen Box Official Website

Reference: 10 Key Films Available on Shireen Box

1. Walnut Tree <Sardasht> (https://shireenbox.com/walnut-tree/)

Theme: Peace/Coexistence; War; Family; Chemical Weapon Victims

In 1987, during the Iran-Iraq War, mustard gas bombs were dropped on the border town of Sardasht. This true story is told from the perspective of a family spending their daily lives under a walnut tree. It quietly conveys not only the horror of chemical weapons but also the lives suddenly taken, family memories, and the scars left on the town. Sardasht has a road named "HIROSHIMA Street" through exchange with a Hiroshima NGO, symbolizing the significance of Shireen Box's outreach from Hiroshima. This is one of the films that symbolizes the meaning of Shireen Box's outreach from Hiroshima.

2. Junod (https://shireenbox.com/junod/)

Theme: Peace/Coexistence; Hiroshima; Medical Support; Unconditional Love

This animated film depicts the life of Dr. Marcel Junod, a Swiss doctor who delivered 15 tons of medical supplies and saved many lives in Hiroshima immediately after the atomic bombing. Through Dr. Junod's work in war-torn areas not only in Hiroshima but also around the world, it conveys the spirit of "acting for the sake of distant others."

This is a must-see film to convey the origins of medical support, peace exchange, and international cultural exchange that lie behind Shireen Box. Ms. Shizuko Tani is listed as the production supervisor in the film list.

3. The Painting Pool / 絵の中の池 (https://shireenbox.com/the-painting-pool/)

Theme: Medicine/Care; Family; Disability; Everyday Love

A quiet and warm family story depicting a son growing up with parents who have mild intellectual disabilities. They are not wealthy, but their home is filled with smiles. However, as the child grows, subtle shifts begin to occur in the relationship between the child and parents.

The charm of this work lies in its focus on the love and daily life that exist, rather than portraying disability or poverty as a "pitiful story." The film list describes it as "a story where 'a daily life filled with love' emerges before disability, poverty, or systems."

Awards and Screenings:

Screened at Asian Focus, Fukuoka International Film Festival 2014

4. A Cube of Sugar / 角砂糖と花嫁 (https://shireenbox.com/a-cube-of-sugar/)

Theme: Family; Daily Life; Women; Iranian Culture

Set in an ancient city in Iran, relatives and family gather for the wedding preparations of the youngest daughter, and a lively time begins. However, amidst the celebratory daily life, an unexpected event occurs, and the family's atmosphere changes dramatically. This film conveys the richness of Iranian families, weddings, kinship, dining tables, and conversations, making it suitable for introducing the charm of Iranian cinema beyond just socially conscious works. Within Shireen Box, it is an easy-to-introduce gateway to understanding Iranian life and culture. The film list also describes it as a work where family gathers for wedding preparations, unfolding both daily and extraordinary events.

Awards and Screenings:

Selected for the Asian Window section at the Busan International Film Festival 2011

Selected at the Miami International Film Festival 2012

5. Mazar-e Sharif / マザーレシャリフ (https://shireenbox.com/mazar-e-sharif/)

Theme: Peace/Coexistence; True Story; Diplomat; War

This is a true story based on the attack on the Iranian consulate in Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan, three years before the September 11th terrorist attacks in the US. Amidst the killing of diplomats by the Taliban, one diplomat survives and heads for the border with the help of Afghans.

This film views war and international relations from the "perspective of survivors," rather than through the news. Among Shireen Box's lineup of peace and coexistence, this is a film that can convey the meaning of borders, diplomacy, and speaking the truth. It is also listed in the film list as a work based on a true story.

6. The Miracle of Bonasan / ボナさん伝説 魔法のランプの魔神 (https://shireenbox.com/the_miracle_of_bonasan/)

Theme: Hope; International Exchange; Hiroshima; Music; Children

The genie of the magic lamp, "Bonasan," is given a mission to return to Earth. This mission is to entrust the wishes of people from Iran, Japan, and Austria into a song called "Hope." This is a story that transcends borders, involving Iranian actor Parviz Parastui, Hiroshima pharmacist Shizuko Tani, Austrian doctor Gerhard Freilinger, and composer Noriyuki Asakura, among others. It depicts war and peace, and the future of children, through fantasy and music. It is a work that gently conveys the exchange between Hiroshima and Iran, which is the background of Shireen Box. The film list introduces it as "a story that connects 'hope' across countries."

7. Woodpecker / キツツキ (https://shireenbox.com/woodpecker/)

Theme: Women; Social Issues; Mother-Daughter Relationship; Regeneration

Martha, a woman struggling with drug addiction, learns that her deceased daughter is alive and living with her ex-husband. She resolves to get her daughter back and confronts her ex-husband and his new wife.

This work depicts motherhood, past mistakes, and the difficulty of rebuilding one's life in society. It deals with social themes related to women's lives, family regeneration, and addiction, making it a suitable film for Shireen Box's "Women/Hope" category. The film list states: Produced in 2018, Iran, 95 minutes, directed by Behzad Shojaei, starring Sara Bahrami.

8. Lizard / リザード (https://shireenbox.com/lizard/)

Theme: Local Traditions; Religious Satire; Humor; Comedy

Reza, a thief, disguises himself as a monk and successfully escapes from prison. He attempts to flee the country, but is mistaken for a real monk in a town near the border and finds himself facing the local community as a cleric.

This comedy film was banned from screening in Iran but received a significant positive response upon its release. It is an important film for Shireen Box to convey that it offers not only "heavy social issue films" but also works that view society through humor and satire. A comedy film that was banned domestically but received great acclaim upon release.

9. Ameneh's Golden Blood / 黄金の血 (https://shireenbox.com/amenehs-golden-blood/)

Theme: Medicine/Care; Life; Cross-border Support; Family

Ameneh, a 23-year-old university student living in Bushehr, southern Iran, falls into a life-threatening condition after being diagnosed with anemia. To save her, she needed "golden blood," a type possessed by only a very small number of people worldwide. This film depicts 13 days of her family and doctors rushing across borders to find a solution, and it aligns well with the medical support and humanitarian connections that form the background of Shireen Box. Produced in 2025, Iran, 54 minutes, directed by Habib Ahmadzadeh.

10. Tear of the Reedbed / 沼地の涙 (https://shireenbox.com/tear-of-the-reedbed/)

Theme: Peace/Coexistence; War; Mother's Prayer; Memory

Ali Hashemi was one of the commanders during the Iran-Iraq War. Towards the end of the war, he went missing, with some believing he died in battle and others suspecting he surrendered to the enemy. However, his mother continued to believe in his return for 20 years.

This film depicts the time that remains within a family even after the war ends, the weight of waiting, and a mother's prayer. It focuses on the emotions of a family waiting for a lost loved one rather than on flashy war scenes, making it a suitable film to introduce in public relations leading up to August 6. Produced in 2025, Iran, 82 minutes, directed by Mehdi Jafari.