Amir Zargara
Birthplace:
Iran
Amir Zargara is an award-winning Iranian-Canadian writer and director, whose unique perspective is shaped by the cultural mosaic of Iran and Canada. His journey, characterized by the resilience of an immigrant and the challenges of living with a stutter, deeply influences his approach to filmmaking. An alumnus of prestigious programs at Berlinale, TIFF, Zurich, and Reykjavik, he explores the moral complexities individuals face in his films. His short film A GOOD DAY WILL COME qualified for the Oscars and received over 70 awards and mentions across more than 100 film festivals worldwide. Amir's screenplays have garnered praise from top industry competitions, including the Academy’s Nicholl Fellowship, The Black List, Austin Film Festival, and Slamdance. Amir has worked with acclaimed talents such as Oscar nominee Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips) and multiple Cannes and Berlinale alumni including Mehdi Bajestani (Holy Spider – Palme d’Or Nominee), Mahtab Servati (There Is No Evil – Berlinale Golden Bear), Reza Akhlaghirad (The Seed of the Sacred Fig – Cannes Jury Special Prize, A Man of Integrity – Cannes Un Certain Regard Award), and Hossein Soleimani (Terrestrial Verses – Cannes Un Certain Regard Nominee). His films have been distributed by Mongrel, The Criterion Channel, CBC, Bell, and BFI.