The short film “Granite” is the first work by Mona Aziz, writer and director, featuring Niki Mozafari in the leading role. It has received positive recognition in international film festivals.

Mona Aziz discusses the initial idea for this short film: “Based on the concerns I had about the presence of women in society and how being a woman in a society that does not stand for women is an ongoing issue, I created this film. Women must fight hard and face a very difficult path to achieve their goals or perform different roles in society. This film endeavors to address the presence of women in society away from common clichés.”

Having a background in painting, Aziz felt that a painting was not sufficient to convey her ideas, so she turned to making a short film. She explains, “In a short film, you encounter a canvas and vibrant elements that are used to present the director’s ideas to the audience.”

She adds: “The production process for this film was not very easy, especially since I designed the costumes and sets myself. I have a background in painting and visual arts and I created storyboards for the shots that were very sensitive and required more thoughtful consideration. These storyboards were very helpful in achieving good results both in set design and in finding a common language for filming. Of course, we also faced the challenge of casting, but in the end, we made a good choice.”

Mona Aziz states that her goal in making the film is not just to participate in festivals but to convey her message and ideas to a vast audience. She believes that although short films are not taken seriously in Iran and she made the film with her personal funds, she hopes her films will receive support.

“Granite” has been well-received internationally, and some of its accolades include:

David International Film Festival – Best Drama Film – WINNER

Queen City Film Festival – Best Director – WINNER

DMOFF – Best Iranian Director – WINNER

Budapest Film Awards – Best Drama Film – HONORABLE MENTION

David International Film Festival – Best Actress – NOMINATED

David International Film Festival – Best Poster – NOMINATED

The international distribution of this film is handled by Seven Skies Entertainment.

Watch “Granite” and its New View episode with English subtitles on our YouTube channel:

Film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLVyFwmqZQI
New View episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YFN7fa9gNs&t=808s