An Iranian-Canadian Immigrant Filmmaker’s Perspective

The short film is a tool for expressing pure emotions and experiences without the hurdles of building certain professional relationships that are necessary in feature filmmaking.

As Abbas Kiarostami famously said, “Cinema is a big lie we use to tell a bigger truth.” Through the magic of cinema, the director visualizes their thoughts on the screen, and shares their worldview with the audience.

This experience is different in short films. Unlike the long form, the director does not necessarily have to worry about selling the film and seeing a return on their investment. Instead, they can focus on gathering as many audiences as possible. Therefore, film festivals that specialize in short films are the best place to present and showcase these works. These festivals allow filmmakers to get to know each other's work, while having the experience of watching their pieces with a wider audience.

The McMinnville Short Film Festival, with its decade-long history, is one of the finest places to experience this. Nancy, the festival’s Executive Director, truly has a global perspective. She has provided filmmakers the unique pleasure of watching films with their peers and colleagues from around the world in a friendly atmosphere rather than a competitive one. And let’s not forget their excellent and distinctive wine selection!

My participation in this festival has played a huge role in my growth as an Iranian-Canadian immigrant filmmaker. I have made connections with people from different countries whom I would not have otherwise met. More importantly, it provided me with the rare opportunity to see my Farsi language film displayed for a wide and varied non-Iranian audience.

Growing up in an Eastern culture and later moving to the West have led me to seek stories and concepts that might be shared by people from different cultures. I found this connecting thread in the relationships that have become the bedrock of my filmmaking. Even at their most complex, human emotions and interactions can surpass the boundaries of place and language and bring people together.

Judgment and betrayal were the subject of my previous film, We Were There. And in a continuation of that path, I will address doubt in my next short film. This 15- to 20-minute film starts with some unpredictable news, which forces a couple to face their situation and deal with it. We are currently in the writing phase, which is set to finish by the end of this year. I plan to start the filming process in 2022, and be ready to participate in the McMinnville Festival.