Experiencing Interruptions?

The Steak

A birthday party preparation is thrown into chaos by an awful event.

  • Kiarash Dadgar
    Director
  • Kiarash Dadgar
    Writer
  • Ali Narimani
    Writer
  • Kiarash Dadgar
    Producer
  • Faranak Khamis
    Key Cast
  • Amin Simiar
    Key Cast
  • Panisa Peyvaght
    Key Cast
  • Sadeq Es-haqi
    Art Director
  • Farzad Shahab
    DOP
  • Amin Enteshari
    Visual Effects
  • Amin Jafari
    Sound Recorder
  • Abdolreza Heydari
    Sound Designer
  • Faraz Modiri
    Set and Custome Designer
  • Mohsen Asdaghpour
    Still Photographer
  • Parisa Gardeshi
    Make-up Artist
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, War
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 13 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    2,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada, Iran
  • Country of Filming:
    Iran
  • Language:
    No Dialogue
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Sooreh University of Tehran
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • 30th Slamdance International Film Festival (Academy Award Qualifying)
    Park City, Utah
    United States
    January 21, 2024
    Utah Premiere
    🏆 The AGBO Fellowship Award Winner
  • 26th RiverRun International Film Festival (Academy Award Qualifying)
    North Carolina
    United States
    April 20, 2024
    North Carolina Premiere
    🏆 Special Jury Mention
  • 47th Norwegian Film Festival (Academy Award Qualifying)
    Grimstad
    Norway
    June 14, 2024
    Norway Premiere
    Official Selection
  • 25th Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (Academy Award Qualifying)
    Tokyo
    Japan
    June 15, 2024
    Japan Premiere
    Official Selection
  • 40th Tehran International Short Film Festival (Academy Award Qualifying)
    Tehran
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
    October 24, 2023
    Official Selection
  • 47th Elche Independent Film Festival (Goya Qualifying )
    Elche
    Spain
    July 17, 2024
    🏆 Best International Short Film
  • 18th Canadian Film Fest (Canadian Screen Award Qualifying)
    Toronto
    Canada
    March 21, 2024
    Toronto Premiere
    🏆 Best Short Film Producer Award
  • 72nd Yorkton Film Festival (Canadian Screen Award Qualifying)
    Saskatchewan
    Canada
    May 23, 2024
    Saskatchewan Premiere
    🏆 Best Student Award
  • 23rd Silver Wave International Film Festival (Canadian Screen Award Qualifying)
    NB
    Canada
    November 9, 2023
    Canada Premiere
    🏆 Best Student Short Film Award
  • Young Director Awards Cannes 2024
    Cannes
    France
    June 20, 2024
    🏆 Gold Screen Award
  • 24th Mostra de Curtas (Goya Qualifying)
    Noia
    Spain
    November 11, 2023
    Spain Premiere
    🏆 Best Short Film Award (Grand Prize)
  • 53rd Sehsüchte International Film Festival
    Babelsberg
    Germany
    April 25, 2024
    Babelsberg Premiere
    Official Selection
  • 24th Kingston Canadian Film Festival (Canadian Screen Award Qualifying)
    Kingston
    Canada
    February 29, 2024
    Kingston Premiere
    Official Selection
  • 9th Courts d'un Soir Festival (Canadian Screen Award)
    Montreal
    Canada
    April 6, 2024
    Montreal Premiere
    Official Selection
  • 22nd FICAL Almeria International Film Festival (Goya Qualifying)
    Almeria
    Spain
    November 24, 2023
    Almeria Premiere
    Official Selection
  • 7th IBICINE, Ibiza Festival (Goya Qualifying)
    Ibiza
    Spain
    April 10, 2024
    Ibiza Premiere
    🏆 Best Foreign Film
  • 16th Cine Global de Santa Domingo (FIAPF Accredited)
    Santo Domingo
    Dominican Republic
    January 29, 2024
    Domenican Republic Premiere
    🏆 Best Short Film Award (Claudio Chea Award)
  • 26th ìcaro International Film Festival
    Guatemala
    Guatemala
    November 30, 2023
    Guatemala Premiere
    🏆 Honourable Mention for Best International Short
  • 15th Watersprite Film Festival
    Cambridge
    United Kingdom
    March 3, 2024
    Cambridge Premiere
    🏆🏆 🏆 Film of The Year Award / Best Fiction Film / Audience Award
  • 22nd International Student Film and Video Festival (ISFVF)
    Beijing, Beijing
    China
    November 20, 2023
    China Premiere
    🏆 Outstanding Award for Best Short Film
  • 12th One Shot Teressa International Film Festival
    Terrassa, Barcelona
    Spain
    November 24, 2023
    Barcelona Premiere
    🏆 2nd Best Short Film Award
  • 15th International Inter-University Short Film Festival
    Dhaka
    Bangladesh
    November 8, 2023
    Bangladesh Premiere
    🏆 Zahir Raihan Award for Best Short Film
  • 9th Tenerife Noir Atlantic Festival
    Tenerife
    Spain
    March 10, 2024
    Tenerife Premiere
    🏆 Best International Short Film
  • 6th Les Regards de L'ICART
    Parisa
    France
    March 7, 2024
    Paris Premier
    🏆 Grand Prix Award for the Best Short Film
  • 10th Milazzo Film Festival
    Milazzon
    Italy
    March 3, 2024
    Sicili
    🏆 Best International Short Film
Distribution Information
  • LUCID HORIZON FILMS
    Distributor
    Country: Iran, Islamic Republic of
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Kiarash Dadgar

Kiarash Dadgar is an award-winning Iranian film and theatre artist with an MA in Dramatic Literature from Soore Art University. He worked in various Iranian short films, series, and theatre productions. Kiarash first work as a producer, "Jouissance" (2022), premiered at the 27th BUSAN International Film Festival.
His debut film, "The Steak" (2023), has been screened in prestigious Film Festivals, such as Slamdance, Tirana, RiverRun, Short Shorts and Norwegian Short Film Festival and won multiple titles globally, including the AGBO Award from Slamdance, the Sesc-TV Award and Audience Award from the 35th São Paulo ISFF, the Best Producer Award from the 18th Canadian Film Fest, the Best Film Award from the 47th Elche IFF, and the Gold Screen Award from the Cannes Young Director Award. He is currently studying for an MFA in Film at York University, Toronto, and developing his first feature film, "Graveyard," with the Russo Brothers(Avengers: Endgame), at AGBO studio in LA, Hollywood.

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Director Statement

Introducing a formalistic approach, this short film delves into the dramatic transformation that can occur within 7 minutes. Through continuous 360-degree tilt, the narrative employs a metaphorical technique juxtaposing the beginning and the ending, creating a disparity of outcomes. As a filmmaker, I find immense fascination in exploring stories centred around the concept of war. I believe that war issues hold a universal quality, allowing viewers to comprehend the inherent bitterness they entail. By eliminating dialogue, this film invites the audience to interpret the story through the visual symbolism and characters' actions, thus transcending cultural or geographic boundaries. Additionally, this film serves as the inaugural installment of a compelling trilogy exploring war narratives through a formalistic lens. I am passionately crafting the second piece of this series, driven by a desire to explore the depth and complexity of these themes.