2024
Short Narrative(World Premiere)

Empty Your Pockets

CC
Closed captions online
OC
Open captions in-person

Hassan is an airport customs officer who needs a salary advance to buy his mother’s medication. While dealing with various passengers, the dark side of his job becomes clear. Ultimately Hassan must decide what matters to him the most, and at what cost.

Screenings

Virtual

August 3 – August 5
August 1 – August 3

Directors Spotlight

A picture of a woman named Tara Aghdashloo. She is portrayed from the chest up against a plain, light beige background. She has dark, wavy hair loosely pulled back, allowing a few strands to frame her face. She has striking blue eyes and a composed, confident expression with a subtle smile. Her arms are crossed and she is wearing a white t-shirt with rolled sleeves, featuring black text in four languages that states “Woman Life Freedom”.

Tara Aghdashloo

Director

Tara is a writer, director, poet and multidisciplinary artist born in Iran. As a former journalist and documentarian she focused on Mid-East and international politics, art and culture. In recent years she’s been writing, directing and producing independently. Her debut short film THE RIDE was commissioned by BFI Network and premiered in Cinequest festival and has been selected in festivals internationally and won Best Short Film at Nostalgia Film Festival. Her second short film BRIDGE was produced by Kusini Productions and BBC and premiered at BIFA and BAFTA Qualifying Norwich Film in 2023, was nominated for Best UK Short by Unrestricted View Festival, and continues its journey. Tara is an intersectional feminist, human rights activist and an advocate for MENA representation.

Runtime
20 minutes
Country
Canada, United Kingdom
Language
Persian
Director
Tara Aghdashloo
Cast
Kiarash Dadgar, Amir Zavosh, Bahman Dadui, Armin Lou, Leyla Shamshiri, Peyman Shariati, Nikta Atapour, Farshideh Nasrin, Camelia Ghazali, Toomaj Daneshbehzadi, Banafsheh Taherian, Kimia Kalantari
Cinematographer
Farhad Ghaderi
Composer
Performativity Ltd.
Editor
Abolfazl Talooni
Executive Producer
Sam Cryer Harland Weiss Caterina Jackman Jason Aita Sahar Yousefi Isil Gilderdale Emily Harris Donovan Boden
Production Design
Hope Little
Sound Design
Ensieh Maleki
Premiere
World

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