Private Project

In the Realm of the Spider-tailed Viper

This revealing documentary explains the discovery of a rare and unique snake called the Spider-Tailed Horned Viper and the amazing man who made it happen.
On the journey to discover this snake, our production team met up with a farmer named Mahmoud, and sought his help to find the rare viper. During the making of this documentary, some strange things happened! and the destiny of Mahmoud changed!

The Spider-tailed horned viper, is the world’s most evolved viper. No other viper in the world has a tail structure as evolved as this one. This viper, using its tail like a puppet master, hunts insect eating birds.

  • Fathollah Amiri
    Director
  • Fathollah Amiri
    Writer
  • Dr. Behzad Fathinia
    Writer
  • Dr. Mohammad Ala
    Producer
  • Mahmoud Mansouri
    Cinematographer
  • Nime Asgari
    Cinematographer
  • Mehdi Nourmohammadi
    Cinematographer
  • Majid Mohammaddoust
    Editor
  • Babak Mirzakhani
    Original Music
  • Majid Mohammaddoust
    Festival Distributor
  • Majid Mohammaddoust
    Sound Design
  • Farzad Jafarian
    Sound Design
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Human-Wildlife, Environment, conservation, wildlife
  • Runtime:
    39 minutes 50 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 3, 2018
  • Country of Origin:
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Country of Filming:
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
  • Language:
    Persian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Wildscreen Panda Award 2018
    Bristol
    United Kingdom
    October 22, 2018
    World Premiere
    Emerging Talent Panda Award
  • Ménigout Film Festival
    Ménigout
    France
    November 1, 2019
    Région Nouvelle-aquitaine de la Créavité
  • Gran Paradiso Film Festival 2019
    Cogne
    Italy
    Italian Premier
    WWF Italy Award
  • Natur-vision 2019
    Ludwigzurg
    Germany
    July 13, 2019
    German Premier
    Nominated for the Best Film
  • Green Screen 2019
    Eckernförde
    Germany
    September 11, 2019
    Official Selection
  • IDFA Docs for Sale 2018
    Amsterdam
    Netherlands
    Docs for Sale
  • Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam (WFFR)
    Rotterdam
    Netherlands
    October 30, 2019
    Official Selection
  • International Ecological Film Festival TO SAVE AND PRESERVE

    Russian Federation
    June 2, 2019
    Russian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Phoenix Film Festival Melbourne
    Melbourne
    Australia
    June 2, 2019
    Australian Premiere
    Official Nominations
Director Biography - Fathollah Amiri

Born in 1981, Iran
Producer & Director

2018 Panda Award Winner (UK)
2017 Jackson Hole Award Winner (USA)
2018 Green Screen Award Winner (Germany)
2018 Gran Paradiso Award Winner (Italy)
and many other awards and festival appearances during last years.

* M.A in Broadcasting Production from IRIB’s University
* Member of the Iranian Documentary Filmmakers Association
* Member of the Iranian Documentary Producers Association

1- Sunset of Khojir (2007)
2- Life in Eclipse (2009)
3- In Search for the Persian Leopard (2012)
4- Life in Desert (2013)
5- "Iran Reptiles" Series (2013)
6- Alamto, a Reptile Wonderland (2014)
7- Tanhavash (2016)
8- Ranger and Leopard (2017)
9- Vortex (2018)

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Director's note:
I am happy to say that this documentary was able to not only turn an ordinary farmer into the guardian of the Spider-Tailed Horned Viper, but also changed his livelihood. I just hope that locals and in fact, every single human being becomes a guardian of nature in their own respect.