Private Project

Invisible Shadows

In the wake of her lover's sudden death, a young woman finds herself unable to accept the simple explanation she has been given. Haunted by unanswered questions and the suspicion that a darker truth lies hidden, she spirals into an obsessive search for closure that pulls her deep into the haunting landscape of memory and grief.

  • Benyamin Khodabandeh
    Director
  • Benyamin Khodabandeh
    Writer
  • Benyamin Khodabandeh
    Producer
  • Aysuda Namazi
    Key Cast
    "Negar"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    سایه های ناپیدا
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    June 20, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    100 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Iran
  • Country of Filming:
    Iran
  • Language:
    Persian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, Full Frame
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.66:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Damghan University
Director Biography - Benyamin Khodabandeh

Benyamin Khodabandeh is an emerging filmmaker with a distinct focus on the subtleties of human emotion and the silent, internal struggles that define us. With a background in visual arts, Khodabandeh’s directorial style emphasizes atmospheric and visually-led storytelling, where mood and subtext carry the narrative weight. He is drawn to character-driven stories that explore the complexities of relationships and memory. "Invisible Shadows" is his powerful short film debut, showcasing his commitment to creating raw, authentic, and emotionally resonant cinema.

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Director Statement

"Invisible Shadows" was born from a question that has always haunted me: What happens to us when our questions are impossible to answer? Grief is not a linear process with a neat conclusion; it is a landscape we must learn to navigate. I wanted to explore the ambiguity of loss, where the absence of clear answers can be more agonizing than the pain of the event itself.

With this film, I intended to create a subjective, almost tactile experience of grief. I chose to rely on a quiet, contemplative pace and visually symbolic language rather than dialogue to immerse the audience in the protagonist’s emotional state. The camera stays intimately close, not as an observer but as a participant in her confusion and sorrow. We are with her as she sifts through fragmented memories, searching for a truth that may not exist in the way she imagines.

Ultimately, "Invisible Shadows" is not about solving a mystery. It is about the heavy, permanent presence that loss leaves behind—a shadow that doesn’t disappear with the light, but rather becomes a part of who we are. It’s a film about the painful, quiet, and deeply human process of learning to live with those shadows, and everyone might have an invisible shadow that we're not aware of.