AMPHIBIOUS

Amphibious
Genre: Drama

When Raha, a 27-year-old Iranian-Canadian immigrant, finally decides to meet a man she has only seen in a photo after ten years of isolation, Iran undergoes a significant upheaval and revolution. She finds herself caught in a whirlwind of events and torn between her homeland, people, and her personal life in Canada. Shortly after the tragic death of Mahsa Gina Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian girl who was killed by the morality police for not wearing an appropriate hijab, sparking widespread protests, the news continuously reports on arrests, injuries, and casualties in the streets. The Iranian government's internet shutdown makes it incredibly challenging to communicate with her family in Iran. Alongside these challenges, she must prepare for her date with Dave at 6:00 p.m. Raha realizes that she lacks a suitable outfit for the occasion, and over the years, her self-confidence in her appearance has waned, even causing her to forget how to apply makeup properly. As time swiftly passes, her mental anxiety, combined with news from Iran, becomes a chaotic jumble of thoughts. With only a few hours left until her meeting, she desperately leaves home to find suitable clothes. Once again, she faces intense contradictions between where she lives and her motherland. This encounter with the harsh reality weighs heavily on her and becomes so exhausting that it shatters her mental turmoil, leaving her with no solution but to seek refuge in nature for tranquility.

  • Ghazal Partou
    Director
  • Ghazal Partou
    Writer
  • Ghazal Partou
    Producer
  • Raha Rouhollahi
    Key Cast
    "Raha"
  • Aryan Shaban
    Music Composer
  • Sepidar Valian
    Editor
  • Ghazal Partou
    Costume designer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 53 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 30, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    11,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    Persian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Ghazal Partou

Ghazal Partou is an Iranian-Canadian actress and multidisciplinary artist. Ghazal is the recipient of the "Lead Actress" Special Mention from the Five Continents International Film Festival, the Best Acting award from the Ark Gate International Film Festival, the Toronto Arts Foundation/TELUS "Newcomer Artist" award, the Persbook Contemporary Art award, and the National Sculpture Biennial award in Tehran. She received her B.A. and acting degree in Iran and continued her education at the Toronto Film School. Her combined knowledge of visual art and drama has allowed her to expand her world of creation. She seeks to establish an interactive relationship with the audience and to raise fresh questions in their minds. With the revision and redesign of familiar concepts, she makes of them a means for fresh expression, an expression whose elements are rooted in daily life but which ultimately creates and narrates what has been hidden underneath those familiar forms. Since landing in Canada, Ghazal has been active in a diverse range of thought-provoking artistic projects as an actor, performance artist, creative director, singer and designer. Her overarching goal is to make the most out of the multicultural potential of Toronto, find an international language as an artist and connect with the core of humanity beyond race, language, nationality, and ethnicity.

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Director Statement

Amphibious is an attempt to illustrate the intricate process of forging a new identity and navigating the challenges immigrants face while carrying the weight of their roots from another land. The character of Raha, a young Iranian-Canadian immigrant, intimately captures the profound struggle of adapting memories, a sense of belonging, and the complexities of her dual existence. The film delves into her arduous journey of finding equilibrium amidst the tumultuous events in her homeland, the chaotic political landscape of the world, and the life she is building.