| ABSENCE (52 min) Canada/Iran/Sweden |
Directors/Producers: Hasan Jafari, Yaser Talebi, Akra Makhabr, Feriba Arab
Description:
A deeply personal documentary set in Tehran follows Siavash, a once-renowned rally champion, and his son Amin, a young man longing to leave Iran in search of dignity and possibility. As the country's political and economic crises deepen, father and son respond differently to the same suffocating reality: one withdraws into silence, the other prepares for exile. Threaded through their story is the absent presence of Siamak–Siavash's brother and Amin's uncle–who left Iran decades earlier and now lives in Sweden. His life in exile stands as a quiet counterpoint to those who stayed behind, revealing how migration, survival and loss echo across generations.Biography:
Hasan Jafari began his artistic career in theater, directing stage productions before moving into cinema as an assistant director on several feature films. Alongside his academic studies, he developed a strong interest in documentary filmmaking, focusing on intimate human stories and observational cinema.
Yaser Talebi is a filmmaker whose documentaries have been screened at IDFA, Berlinale, Hot Docs, Krakow, Shanghai International Film Festival, Doc NYC and DMZ Docs and have been broadcast by ARTE, NHK, Al Jazeera Documentary, Rai and LCP. He received the Best Documentary Director Award at the 63rd Krakow Film Festival for Destiny and has served on the international juries of several film festivals.
Akra Makhabr is a graphic designer, production manager and creative artist. She began her career designing film posters before expanding her work into story development and documentary production. Her passion for documentary cinema has led her to work in production management and promotional artwork for independent documentary films.
Fariba Arab is a CEO of Chosen Image, a production company dedicated to supporting independent filmmakers and promoting their work internationally. As a producer, she is committed to projects that encourage intercultural dialogue and social awareness. She has also directed two documentary films, Empty Nest and Angel and Half of My Heart, reflecting her ongoing interest in personal and human-centered storytelling.
Contact Information:
e: talebi.yaser@gmail.com
