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Blue shades of dusk

Raha, a melancholic woman, plays the role of the Dutchman's lover in a play. Her life changes when she accidentally puts on a devil's mask.

  • Ava Javidi
    Director
  • Amirparsa Khanbani
    Director
  • Ava Javidi
    Writer
  • Amirparsa Khanbani
    Writer
  • Ava Javidi
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes 15 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 24, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    50,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Country of Filming:
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Language:
    Persian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, 35mm, Arri Classic
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Pars University of Architecture and Art
Director Biography - Ava Javidi, Amirparsa Khanbani

Ava Javidi, born on 1999, is a writer and director originally from Isfahan, Iran. She graduated in Film Direction from the Pars university of Tehran.
She won the Best Children's Story Book Award from the Kharazmi National Festival in 2011.
Her filmography includes "It may not be over" (15' - 2021), and "Blue Shades of Dusk" (18' - 2023).

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Director Statement

An Exploration of Identity

In this short experimental drama, the protagonist Raha explores her own fluid sense of identity as she navigates societal expectations. Through an internal journey reflected in mirrors and imagined scenarios, Raha examines what it means to simply be human, and more specifically to be a woman in today's world.
The film uses surreal elements to portray Raha's quest for self-actualization and belonging. She imagines herself in three pivotal roles - the haunted sea captain Dachman, symbolizing her burdened past; the devoted lover who offers salvation to Dachman, representing her caring nature; and the triumphant Satan, dancing freely as her true liberated spirit.
By inhabiting each character through dramatic monologues before her mirror, Raha works to reconcile the parts of herself often at odds - her vulnerabilities and strengths, her dependence and independence. She seeks to understand how society both separates her and connects her, and most importantly, what will truly save and fulfill her own soul.
With its symbolic visual style and introspective performances, the film aims to start an important conversation about female identity and humanity's constant search for meaning, purpose and self-acceptance - particularly as concepts of gender evolve beyond traditional rigid norms. It is a thoughtful mediation on individuality and where we each belong versus where we are placed.
Ava Javidi, Amirparsa Khanbani