A middle-aged Iranian man makes a desperate bid to keep his apartment, as his relationship with his son unravels.

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Interview with Writer/Actor/Producer Maziyar Khatam

1. What motivated you to make this film?

It was a combination of things—the main drive being these tangled feelings I had about my dad and how I grew up. I distinctly remember being in my last year of high school and getting a call from him because his landlord had an issue, and my dad needed me to translate. I thought that this would be a great opening scene for a film.

Thematically, I also wanted to touch upon how my dad and I were drifting apart. My Farsi was getting worse, and his English was almost nonexistent, so communication was agonizing. A lot of our screaming matches were simply because we couldn't understand each other.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you

to make this film?

8 months ago, I wrote the first draft in a day and then took it to Meran & Anya (The Directors) and we started rehearsing it like a play for almost 2 months. We shot it in 3 days and I edited it for about 5 months.

The process was kind of insane because the three of us (Meran, Anya and Me) are highly particular people. There was a lot of back and forth between the three of us. I would describe it as living with a three-headed monster for 8 months.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

Chaotic absurdity

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

Finding the right actor to play the dad. I wish I was exaggerating, but we probably approached every middle-aged male Iranian actor in Toronto. A lot of them just didn't understand the film and character. Iranian men are very traditional and the main issue for them was the swearing, but we were lucky to connect with Amir Zavosh.

It's pretty surreal because he shares the same first name as my dad. I was also acting alongside Amir and playing myself. Amir brought so many ideas to the rehearsals and was a great collaborator.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking

about your film in the feedback video?

It was really interesting to see the different interpretations people had for the ending. It's always exciting to share your work.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

In drama class in grade 6. It's when I knew I wanted to write stories.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Goodfellas

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other

festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking

Career?

I personally love and miss in-person screenings. Being able to do a Q&A and talk to other filmmakers.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your

experiences been working on the festival platform site?

I absolutely love FilmFreeway. It's the easiest way for filmmakers to submit their work and to keep track of their festival run.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Kabab!

11. What is next for you? A new film?

Right now we're working on a feature film that'll be directing/writing. It'll be in the same vein as Baba. I really want to explore Iranian culture more.

Director Biography - Anya Chirkova, Meran Ismailsoy

Anya Chirkova is a Ukrainian-Russian film Director/Producer. In her work, she's always looking to tell painful, yet cathartic stories that feel strikingly personal. She is the co-founder of a Toronto based production company Funny Bone Pictures and a Humber College alumna. Currently, Anya is in pre-production of her first feature film.

Meran Ismailsoy is a Toronto - based, Azerbaijani filmmaker with directing and acting background. Meran approaches film as the art side of philosophy and believes that this art form can introduce the world to humankind.

Director Statement

Baba is a fever dream dark comedy that focuses on a father who’s accelerating down a path of narcissism and toxic masculinity. It’s a character study of a middle-aged man whose lifestyle crumbled after an agonizing divorce, leading him into a downward spiral of avoiding consequences. At its core, the story deals with an immigrant who hasn't fully integrated, is constantly dealing with language barriers and is being parented by his son.

The film aims to examine the aftermath of an individual who escaped from an oppressive society and unwittingly over-indulged in the freedom of his newly found culture.

The shortsightedness of the father’s nature informed us to have the film take place in real time, fueling horrifyingly awkward moments.

The film's intimate and heartbreaking story comes from the screenplay by Maziyar Khatam, whose real-life father was the core inspiration. This project is a collaboration of three individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds, navigating the psychology of a desperate immigrant father.