Private Project

Ambush

In a non-particular morning a young girl, steps out onto her balcony, Distant sounds fill the air, particularly a melody being whistled from below, she participates, responding with her own whistling. as they seem to complete each other's tunes, The girl sneaks a look at the street below and spot a young boy whistling, she dodges his gaze but soon finds him at her door searching for his missing parrot, he claims he heard it’s sound from the building.
Caught in a web of misunderstanding she joins the boy in an absurd search for the elusive bird. The girl grapples with feelings of guilt and the desire to confess her deception. Yet, time slips away, and hesitation prevails.

  • Niki Malmir
    Director
  • Niki Malmir
    Writer
  • Niki Malmir
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 13 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    700 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Country of Filming:
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Language:
    Persian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Iran university of art
Director Biography - Niki Malmir

Niki Malmir is a 23-year-old cinema student at the Iran University of Art, currently residing in Tehran. she directed her first short film, ‘Dolly’, in 2020, which had been screened at various film festivals around the world.
Her latest project, ‘Ambush’, was recently filmed in Tehran and is making its way through the festival circuit.
Niki enjoys both writing and directing and is committed to developing her skills as she aspires to become a professional filmmaker in the future.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

As I reflect on the dynamics between private and public realms, it becomes evident how these spaces shape our interactions and identities. The private realm, where personal and domestic concerns are addressed, contrasts sharply with the public realm, a space where individuals engage with others as equals. In societies like Iran, women have historically been confined to the private realm, often inhibited from stepping into the public space or engaging with strangers. For generations, we have been restricted in our movement and expression, largely relegated to the home, where our roles were defined by domestic duties.

This historical limitation is central to the theme of my film, which tells the story of a girl who occupies a unique position between these two realms. From her balcony—a space that functions as a boundary between the private and public—she engages with a man searching for his bird in the streets below. The balcony, both physically and symbolically, becomes a transitional space, where the woman’s presence in the public sphere is subtly negotiated. As she interacts with this man, her participation in the public realm is not immediate or direct but occurs through the lens of her private space, offering her a way to express herself and engage with the outside world without fully stepping away from the safety of the home.

Through this interaction, the film explores the limitations and possibilities of women’s agency within a restricted public space. The man’s search for his bird symbolizes the search for something lost or unattainable, echoing the woman’s own experience of navigating a world that imposes strict boundaries on her. Ultimately, the film delves into the complexities of presence and absence, the public and private, and the subtle forms of engagement that exist between the two.

For me, Ambush (2024) was an exploration of human connection and misunderstanding, the whimsical yet poignant moments that often slip by unnoticed in our lives. Much like the main character, I have often grappled with the desire to connect while wrestling with the fear of being seen. The locations play a crucial role in conveying the girl’s emotional landscape. The balcony stands as both a literal and symbolic threshold, a place where our protagonist wrestles with feelings of attraction, fear, and the weight of guilt. While the rooftop creates an opportunity for connection with a stranger, it also imposes limits on her freedom; the mandatory hijab restricts her body, a reminder of the control that public space continues to exert over women’s bodies.