Ali Asgari was born in Tehran, Iran. He graduated in Cinema in Italy. He is an alumnus of Berlinale Talent Campus 2013. Two of his short films “More Than Two Hours” (2013) and “The Silence” (2016), co-directed with Farnoosh Samadi, were in Short Film competition at Festival de Cannes. His short film “The Baby” premiered in competition at Venice Film Festival in 2014. His short films were screened in more than 600 film festivals around the world including Sundance, BFI and Melbourne and won more than 150 international awards. “Disappearance”, his first feature film which was developed at Cinefondation La Residence of Festival De Cannes, had its world and North American premiere at Venice Film Festival and Toronto Film Festival. His short film “Pilgrims”, co-directed with Farnoosh Samadi, was nominated in the final shortlist at the David di Donatello Awards. “My name is Aseman” (2023), co-directed with Gianluca Mangiasciutti, is his latest short film. Ali Asgari is a member of the Oscar’s Academy.

Gianluca Mangiasciutti is an Italian director, member of the Italian Film Academy. He undertook a long internship at Hbo, and then completed his preparation through courses at the UCSD (University of California San Diego). He worked as an assistant director for numerous films, series and commercials. He wrote and directed several short films appreciated by the audience and critics including “Dove l’acqua con altra acqua si confonde”, which was nominated for the David di Donatello Award and for the Globo d’Oro, and won the Studio Universal Award and the Rai Play Award. He also directed “A girl like you”, presented at the Venice Days during the 73rd Venice Film Festival, winner of the Studio Universal Award and NuovoImaie Award. Then he released “Je ne veux pas mourir”, which was officially selected at the Nastri d’Argento 2019 and in competition at the Cleveland Film Festival and St. Louis Film Festival, both Oscar qualifying festivals. His next short film, “Butterfly”, was a finalist at the Nastri d’Argento. In 2022 he directed “L’uomo sulla strada (The man on the road)”, presented as a world premiere at Festa del Cinema di Roma. “My name is Aseman” (2023), co-directed with Ali Asgari, is his latest short film.