Hassan is a young airport customs officer who must secure an advance on his salary to afford his mother’s medication. As the dark side of his job becomes more clear, Hassan must decide what matters to him the most, and what cost he is willing to pay.
Tara Aghdashloo is an award-winning writer, director, multidisciplinary artist and poet born in Iran. She is a published author who has worked as an essayist and journalist before transitioning to film. In 2020 she completed a masterclass by renowned filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf, who remains as her mentor. Her debut short film THE RIDE was commissioned by BFI Network and premiered at Cinequest Festival and has been selected in festivals internationally and won Best Short Film at Nostalgia Film Festival. Her second short film BRIDGE was produced by Kusini Productions and BBC and premiered at Norwich Film. It has traveled extensively in the circuit with 17 nominations and 7 wins including for Best Director, Best International Short, Best European Short, Best Narrative Short, and Best Actress. EMPTY YOUR POCKETS is her third narrative short produced by OPC Film and Intermission Films and has won awards for Outstanding Direction and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Short Film at ReelWorld Festival, Best Foreign Short at Unrestricted View, and nominated for Best Direction at Beeston Festival. Her debut narrative feature is in development with the support of Telefilm Canada and Ontario Creates, produced by UK’s Caspian Films and Canada’s Babe Nation.
Tara is an intersectional feminist, human rights activist and an advocate for women and SWANA representation.
