The directors of the Oscar-winning Iranian animated short film 'In the Shadow of the Cypress' were granted a last minute visa to attend the ceremony.

Iranian directors win Oscar just hours after landing in LA over visa issues - Co-director Hossein Molayemi said it was ‘very surreal’ after In The Shadow Of The Cypress took home the prize for Best An

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Flow,″ a wordless cat parable, won the Oscar for animated feature at Sunday’s 97th Academy Awards. The win gives Latvian filmmaker Gints Zilbalodis his first Academy Award.

Iranian filmmakers face geopolitical hurdles, financial struggles and visa issues on their Oscar journey with 'In the Shadow of the Cypress.'

In the Shadow of the Cypress, a short film by Iranian directors Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani, has won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short. The 20-minute animated short follows a retired sea captain who copes with post traumatic stress disorder while caring for his daughter.

Two films from the Middle East won Oscars at Sunday's Academy Awards, highlighting the growing reputation of the region's film industry at a time of ongoing tensions and crises.