Shorts Series #1
Iranian Perspectives
Including two World Premieres, this new program reveals the quiet strength, nuance, and poetic humanism that have long defined Iranian cinema. In the face of ongoing political hardships, these short films reaffirm the enduring power of storytelling.
Date: Saturday, April 11
Time: 7:00 PM (Doors open at 6:30 PM)
Location: AMC NEWCITY 14
Iranian Perspectives
Total Runtime: 75 minutes
Glitter
Iran | Drama | 2025 | 13 minutes
Persian with English subtitles
Director: Farideh Shafiei
When a young director casts her boyfriend in a stage production, his refusal to wear make-up or step outside rigid gender norms exposes the invisible boundaries shaping their lives. A sharp reflection on the quiet courage required to challenge patriarchal expectations.
Health Center
[Official Competition]
Iran | Drama | 2025 | 15 minutes
Persian with English subtitles
Director: Yaser Barzegar
On the eve of a virginity examination, a young woman and her fiancé confront impossible expectations, forcing two clinical interns into an ethical dilemma. This gripping drama examines the weight of oppressive customs and the resilience of those caught in their path.
Holy Heaviness
Iran | Animation | 2025 | 10 minutes
No Dialogue
Directors: Farnoosh Abedi, Negah Khezre Fardyardad, Mohammad Ghaffari
A wordless meditation on grief, this haunting animation traces the unbearable heaviness left by departed loved ones and the fragile, necessary steps toward renewal, reminding us that letting go opens space for life to continue.
Summer Triangle
Iran | Drama | 2025 | 8 minutes
Persian with English subtitles
Directors: Maryam Esmaeili, Ali Babai
On a rooftop search for her missing cat, a girl encounters a boy about to attempt suicide and teaches him to harness his imagination. A tender and visually poetic story about courage, human connection, and the healing power of creativity.
The Tortoise
Iran | Drama | 2025 | 14 minutes
Persian with English subtitles
Director: Amirreza Jalalian
In a land of rigid rock, a stone-faced old man takes his own life. Returning home from the army, his son must confront his father’s death and the inherited burdens of a society bound by strict customs.
Warden
Iran | Drama | 2026 | 15 minutes
Persian with English subtitles
Director: Sabah Mohammadi
Zivar, supervisor of a girls’ dormitory, struggles to balance strict responsibility with empathy when a student returns late. This intimate drama examines the pressures and moral complexities of life under a patriarchal system.