Maryam is pregnant with her boyfriend’s baby. The baby is illegitimate and according to the country’s laws, if Maryam gives birth to the baby, she will not be able to get an ID for it and the baby will be branded illegitimate for the rest of its life.

Her boyfriend is a fugitive.Maryam is ashamed she has become pregnant by an irresponsible and fraud boy, and it makes her uncertain whether to keep the baby or not.

The change of hormones during pregnancy, the chaos at home and the workplace, lack of a role model of a single parent, and fearing the society and family’s reaction, they all cause anxiety and fear in Maryam and make her hesitant in her decision.

Maryam believes their mother has made many mistakes in raising her and siblings that none of them have a happy marriage. and all their miseries are the result of their mother’s wrong decisions. Maryam doesn’t want to be a mother like her mom.

Maryam rents a flat with a little money and the first furniture of the house is a wooden cheap but beautiful baby bed. Maryam’s pregnancy brings maturity, experience, and growth for her.

Mona Zahed

Biography

Mona Zahed, born in 1974 in Tehran, MA in cinema and psychology

She has played in serials and feature films made by great directors such as Kiyanoosh Ayyari, and she is a member of the board of directors of Screenplay Society of Iran and Iranian Documentary Filmmakers Association.

Cinema Activities

1. Production manager and programmer of Iranian Girls, directed by Hormoz K* (Arte Network of France), produced in France
2. Travelling to the United States, 2003-2008. Director and producer of more than 10 scientific and research documentaries for UCLA.
3. Executive manager of Noor Film Festival in the United States, 1997
4. Scriptwriter of Sperm Whale, 2014 and best screenplay nominee in Hafez Feast, 2016
5. Executive manager of Khorshid Independent Film Festival, 2014
6. Director of Watermelon, chosen in Milan Festival, 2001; Czech Festival, 2000; Hamburg Festival, 2000; Yamagata Festival, 2001; Cinéma du réel Festival, 2002; 47th Cork Festival in Ireland, 2002
7. Director and producer of the documentary I cried laughing, 2000-2001, which is being taught in cinema universities now
8. Director and producer of the documentary Something Like Me, 2001; Honorary Diploma from Baran Festival, 2001; Honorary Diploma from Foroogh Film Festival, 2002; Chosen in Krakow Festival, 2003; Chosen in Ankara Festival, 2003; Chosen in New York Festival, 2003; Chosen in Australia Festival, 2004; Chosen in Sweden Women Festival, 2004.
9. Assistant director and programming manager of the 40-episode documentary History of the Iranian Cinema directed by Bahman Maqsoodloo, 2002 (Ahmad Mahmood, Iran Daroodi…)
10. Scriptwriter of the feature film Stranger at Home (Mona Zahed, Farid Mostafavi), 2010
11. Production manager and programmer of the feature film Jonas directed by Vahid Vakilifar, 2014
12. Executive secretary and member of policy-making council of 1st HIV-AIDS Cinema Children Forum, 2015
13. Art director Ace Gallery, 2016-2018
14. Jury member of Cinema House Feast, 2016
15. Executive manager of 2nd HIV-AIDS Cinema Children Forum, 2016; member of board of directors of Directors of Documentary Cinema Guild, 2016
16. Editor in chief of periodical Koli (multimedia magazine), 2008

Awards

Marjan Alizadeh

Biography

Marjan Alizadeh ( Keramati ) has 2 bachelors at Law and Art.

Marjan is also a renowned writer ( Novel & Haiku Poems) and has directed 2 movies and produced 4 movies. She has written about 14 Movie Scenarios

She is the owner of ArtHouse Cinematheque which is an arthouse Production and international sales agent focused on tracking and accompanying high-profile, director-driven independent films. Marjan launched the company in Canada in order to expand the company’s gamut and focus on International Cinema. She introduced many talented directors especially the youth to the cinema world with revealing their film in Film Festivals and broadcasted films in Channel , ARTE, NHK , LINK TV , Astro, Kanal 7,. She has been the jury member in many film festival.

Films as Director:

MEN UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER – short fiction awarded at “Sundance Film festival”

PERSIAN CATWALK is her feature documentary about a young Model , the film is winner of 3 Awards

Movies as producer:

ANOTHER TIME: feature Fiction Nominee Grand Newcomer Award at Mannheim-Heidelberg

ANTICLOCKWISE : Mid length Documentary – IDFA Main Competition. Awarded For Best Mid Length Film

Copper Noted of a Dream .2019. Feature documentary Premiered at Locarno Film Festival

LIKE A WOMAN .2017. Feature Documentary

PERSIAN CAT WALK : feature documentary winner of 3 Awards

MEN UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER: short Fiction awarded at Sundance FF

Awards

Mona Zahed

Biography

Mona Zahed, born in 1974 in Tehran, MA in cinema and psychology

She has played in serials and feature films made by great directors such as Kiyanoosh Ayyari, and she is a member of the board of directors of Screenplay Society of Iran and Iranian Documentary Filmmakers Association.

Cinema Activities

1. Production manager and programmer of Iranian Girls, directed by Hormoz K* (Arte Network of France), produced in France
2. Travelling to the United States, 2003-2008. Director and producer of more than 10 scientific and research documentaries for UCLA.
3. Executive manager of Noor Film Festival in the United States, 1997
4. Scriptwriter of Sperm Whale, 2014 and best screenplay nominee in Hafez Feast, 2016
5. Executive manager of Khorshid Independent Film Festival, 2014
6. Director of Watermelon, chosen in Milan Festival, 2001; Czech Festival, 2000; Hamburg Festival, 2000; Yamagata Festival, 2001; Cinéma du réel Festival, 2002; 47th Cork Festival in Ireland, 2002
7. Director and producer of the documentary I cried laughing, 2000-2001, which is being taught in cinema universities now
8. Director and producer of the documentary Something Like Me, 2001; Honorary Diploma from Baran Festival, 2001; Honorary Diploma from Foroogh Film Festival, 2002; Chosen in Krakow Festival, 2003; Chosen in Ankara Festival, 2003; Chosen in New York Festival, 2003; Chosen in Australia Festival, 2004; Chosen in Sweden Women Festival, 2004.
9. Assistant director and programming manager of the 40-episode documentary History of the Iranian Cinema directed by Bahman Maqsoodloo, 2002 (Ahmad Mahmood, Iran Daroodi…)
10. Scriptwriter of the feature film Stranger at Home (Mona Zahed, Farid Mostafavi), 2010
11. Production manager and programmer of the feature film Jonas directed by Vahid Vakilifar, 2014
12. Executive secretary and member of policy-making council of 1st HIV-AIDS Cinema Children Forum, 2015
13. Art director Ace Gallery, 2016-2018
14. Jury member of Cinema House Feast, 2016
15. Executive manager of 2nd HIV-AIDS Cinema Children Forum, 2016; member of board of directors of Directors of Documentary Cinema Guild, 2016
16. Editor in chief of periodical Koli (multimedia magazine), 2008

Awards

World Premier

Gallery

Back Stage

Africa

America

Central Asia & Middle East

Eastern & South Asia

Europe

Oceania