Sheepish

Closeted Iranian Ellie, dynamic young chef of a formerly vibrant LA Persian restaurant, gets ready for a busy day. The restaurant, a once legendary hangout for Iranian celebrities, is owned by Mitra—Ellie’s ultra opinionated and conservative, rich aunt. Mitra’s content to live on memories of glory days long gone, but Ellie, a capable chef desperate to prove herself, breathes new life into the menu.
On that busy day, thanks to Ellie’s innovations—new flavors, new cocktails—all aimed at elevating Mitra’s ‘old fashioned’ food and Persian cuisine, Ellie is summoned to Mitra’s house to prepare her for an on-camera interview, in advance of the auction of her highly valuable antiques. At Mitra’s opulent house, religious Afghan maid Golshan fawns over her beloved Miss Mitra, praying for her boss’ successful recovery. But when Charlotte, the beautiful, charming French antique appraiser arrives to interview Mitra, hot embers are lit—of passion between Ellie and Charlotte, and of conflict between Ellie and Mitra. Facing mortality, Mitra seizes the interview as an opportunity to cement her legacy, leading the Charlotte and her crew (and an enchanted Ellie) in tow, to her restaurant for a celebration of life—one final opportunity to show off the food, art and magic that made her the once-upon-a-time queen of Los Angeles good times—the hostess with the mostest, a party to end all parties. Yet even as Ellie is smitten by Charlotte, she fears exposure of her carefully constructed life and the career Mitra has given her. And even as their mutual love for Iran and Iranian culture bind them, Ellie’s secrets and their danger of exposure threaten to tear Ellie and Mitra apart.

  • Azadeh Navai
    Writer
    Rizoo
  • Project Type:
    Screenplay
  • Genres:
    Drama, Food, Middle East, Women, LGBTQ
  • Number of Pages:
    111
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • First-time Screenwriter:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Writer Biography - Azadeh Navai

Azadeh Navai is an Iranian independent writer and director. As a descendant of Bakhtiari nomads on one side of her family and the Qajar dynasty on the other, Azadeh finds inspiration in her Persian roots; in the explorations of the people, culture and history of her home country. Azadeh’s films have screened internationally–including BFI London, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Edinburgh International Film Festival, New York Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, SLAMDANCE, and International Short Film Festival Oberhausen. Azadeh’s 2023 film, Rizoo, is the story of an eight-year-old girl about to reach the legal age of wearing the hijab in Iran and the implications surrounding the transition. Her 2024 film, Walnut Sandwich, tells the story of an elderly Iranian man who travels to Los Angeles to see his middle-aged daughter. Lastly, her feature debut, Sheepish, is a recent participant in the Cine Qua Non’s Storylines lab. Azadeh’s projects have been funded and supported by The New Yorker, the arthouse streaming platform, Fandor, and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Azadeh holds an MFA in Film & Video from California Institute of the Arts.

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Writer Statement

As Iran goes through another tumultuous era, my interest towards telling universal stories about Iranians has strengthened. In particular, I’ve been interested in the relationship between Iran and America. Even though I grew up in Tehran, most of my family have been living in the US for decades. In a way, I know this relationship very well. My recent film, Rizoo, tells the story of a little girl who moves back to Tehran from California and doesn’t know how to blend in with all the rules about wearing the scarf and the politics of being a young woman in that society. Sadly, the film is more relevant now than ever with the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran. But we’re at a point where we can talk about these topics openly - and even humorously - with the non-Iranian audience. What I’m hoping to achieve is for people to understand my side of the world. After All, we’re not that different from each other. I will continue to explore this realm until films from the Middle East are no longer limited by violence, misery and suffocation. My mission is to portray the sweet side of life.