Abdolreza Kahani’s feature film MORTICIAN has been officially selected for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2026, where it will have its U.S. Premiere.
Now in its 41st edition, SBIFF is regarded as one of the most significant international film festivals in the United States, recognized for its strong focus on independent and world cinema. The festival is also known as a major meeting point between international filmmakers and the American film industry, taking place annually in Santa Barbara, California.
The 2026 edition of SBIFF brings together an extensive lineup of international premieres alongside a high-profile roster of special guests and honorees, including acclaimed figures such as Sean Penn and Leonardo DiCaprio, among many others from across the global film community.
MORTICIAN, directed by Kahani, continues its international festival journey following previous screenings, and its presentation at SBIFF marks an important step in the film’s North American exposure.
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival runs from February 4 to February 14, 2026.
The feature film MORTICIAN (Canada, 2025), directed by Abdolreza Kahani, has been officially selected for the Contemporary World Cinema section of the Bengaluru International Film Festival.
The Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFES) is one of the major international film festivals in India and Asia, focusing on contemporary world cinema and independent auteur-driven films. The festival is officially accredited by the FIAPF, placing it among internationally recognized and regulated film festivals.
The Contemporary World Cinema section is a competitive category dedicated to films that engage with current social, political, and human concerns through distinct cinematic voices. Films selected in this section are evaluated by the festival’s international jury.
MORTICIAN will be screened as part of the festival’s official program, alongside a curated selection of international works.
The 17th edition of the Bengaluru International Film Festival will take place from January 29 to February 6, 2026, in Bengaluru, India.
Mortician, written and directed by Abdolreza Kahani, will be screened at the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, in Washington, DC, as part of the museum’s film program.
The screening will take place on February 6, 2026, at 7:00 PM at the Meyer Auditorium.
Blending dark humor with slow-burn drama, Mortician follows Mojtaba, an Iranian mortician living in exile in Canada. His job is to wash and prepare bodies according to Islamic tradition, a profession that places him in constant proximity to death, ritual, and faith. His quiet, isolated life is disrupted when he encounters an exiled Iranian pop singer in hiding, leading him into a moral and ideological confrontation that challenges his beliefs and sense of responsibility.
The film is made in the director’s distinctive One-Man Cinema approach, in which writing, directing, shooting, sound recording, and much of the production process are carried out by a single filmmaker. This method results in an intimate, stripped-down cinematic language that emphasizes presence, observation, and psychological tension over spectacle.
Through its minimalist style and deeply personal perspective, Mortician explores themes of exile, power, religious authority, and the lingering reach of the Islamic Republic beyond Iran’s borders.
The 5th edition of the ARK GATE International Film Festival (AGIFF) is approaching. Dedicated to supporting independent cinema and discovering fresh, creative voices, this year’s festival will once again showcase outstanding works from around the world.
The list of officially selected films has now been announced. These films represent a wide range of cultures, artistic courage, and deeply human stories — reaffirming cinema as a universal language of emotion and thought.
For the latest updates, screening schedules, and special events, please visit the official ARK GATE International Film Festival website.
Following its acclaimed world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, where it received the Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence, and subsequent screenings at the Haifa and São Paulo International Film Festivals, Mortician continues its global journey with its Australian premiere at the 33rd Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF 2025).
Written and directed by Abdolreza Kahani, Mortician has been praised by international critics for its raw realism, bold political subtext, and innovative “single-person cinema” approach. The film’s selection at BIFF marks its fourth international screening, reinforcing its position as one of the year’s most distinctive independent features.
Mortician follows Mojtaba, an Iranian expatriate in Canada who washes the dead according to Islamic rites for fellow immigrants. When his workplace faces closure, his life intersects with Jana, an exiled pop star plotting a social-media protest—an encounter that forces both characters to confront dignity, loss, and exile in a fractured world.
The Iranian-Canadian drama Mortician, directed by Abdolreza Kahani, has been officially selected for the Perspective section of the 49th São Paulo International Film Festival. The selection places the film in one of Latin America’s most important showcases, alongside acclaimed titles from major festivals including Cannes and Venice.
This marks the third international stop for Mortician. Its world premiere was held at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, where it won the Sean Connery Prize for Excellence in Filmmaking. The film is also set to compete in the International Competition at the Haifa Film Festival before arriving in São Paulo.
Kahani created Mortician in the spirit of “one-man cinema,” a stripped-down practice in which he assumes nearly all key creative and technical roles — directing, writing, shooting, editing. As Variety noted, it is “a one-man band of director, producer, writer, editor, and cinematographer,” yet the result remains precise and deliberate. Screen Daily described the film as “sensitive, quiet, and persistent,” a drama where political urgency resonates beneath a minimalist surface.
Film Synopsis:
The story follows Mojtaba, an Iranian immigrant in Canada working for a company that prepares Iranian corpses for Islamic burial. When the operation faces closure, Mojtaba’s fragile livelihood is threatened. At the same time, Jana, an exiled Iranian singer hiding from authorities while planning an online protest, approaches him with an unusual request. Their encounter unfolds into a subtle, tension-filled relationship that explores exile, dignity, and survival.
Abdolreza Kahani’s latest feature “Mortician” has been officially selected for the Golden Anchor Competition at the 41st Haifa International Film Festival.
The film had its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in August 2025, where it was awarded the Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence, a recognition voted for by audiences. Shot entirely on an iPhone in what Kahani describes as a form of single-person cinema, Mortician continues to challenge traditional filmmaking structures with its stripped-down, intimate approach.
Set in the wintry landscapes of Canada, the story follows the encounter between an Iranian mortician and a dissident singer, forcing both to confront questions of faith, protest, and the fragile burden of exile.
With its bold minimalism and uncompromising tone, Mortician is poised to make a strong impact at Haifa as it continues its international festival journey.
“Mortician”, the latest film by Abdolreza Kahani, premiered at the 2025 Edinburgh International Film Festival and won the Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence. This award, determined by audience votes, also includes £50,000 to support the director’s next project. The prize was presented to Kahani at the closing ceremony by Jason Connery on behalf of the Connery Foundation.
“Mortician” is a Canadian film in Persian that takes place in Canada.
The story follows Mojtaba, an Iranian mortician living in Canada, who, upon learning that his workplace is closing, encounters Jana, a singer in exile. She plans to undertake a shocking act on social media to draw attention to the repression of dissenters. Their meeting unfolds a compact, human story that oscillates between the sorrow of exile and the hope for life.
Kahani shot the film in a minimalist style, reportedly entirely with an iPhone, without the use of professional equipment. This choice complements the film’s intimate, two-person narrative, giving it a direct and unmediated quality.
International critics responded positively:
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Screen Daily described the film as a “sensitive, quiet, and persistent drama” that beautifully hides its political anger behind a minimalist and cold visual aesthetic.
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Variety – Guy Lodge: “The film feels more like an intimate two-hander, a relationship that begins with cold collaboration and transforms into human coexistence… Although shot on an iPhone, it is never careless, carefully juxtaposing the cold environment with the warmth of human interaction.”
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Screen Daily – Jonathan Romney: “A calm and precise drama” that effectively depicts the darkest aspects of exile, especially when Jana’s character faces real threats and surveillance.
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Film is a Fine Affair – Vasilis Kroustalis: “A quiet bomb of moral responsibility,” a film that places the heavy burden of discrimination and ethical duty on its characters within a cold environment, creating suspense.
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Live for Film – Joe Gordon: “A quiet yet powerful work,” portraying two exiled characters in the cold Canadian setting, forming a human relationship whose impact resonates in the silence of cinema.
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Deadline – Callum McLennan: “Though filmed in Canada on an iPhone, the movie is full of feeling and of the heavy consequences of trying to live in one’s own way.” He went on to note Kahani’s words: “Once, I was banned from making films in my country. So I had to do something. This film is not a protest on paper. It is something real. Physical. A way to breathe again.”
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The Herald – Barry Didcock: “Audacious, gripping, affecting and disturbing.”
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The Movie Isle – Marie O’Sullivan: “Writer, director, and all-rounder Abdolreza Kahani uses nothing fancy to make his film. Employing a minimalist approach, the visuals are simple (but not simplistic) and the performances natural and full of humanity.”
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The Skinny – Jamie Dunn: The film “Mortician” is described as a dramatic and political work with a subtle humorous tone. Dunn regards it as a low-budget film, yet rich in visual innovation.
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Eye For Film – Amber Wilkinson: “Writer, director, and all-rounder Abdolreza Kahani uses nothing fancy to make his film. Employing a minimalist approach, the visuals are simple (but not simplistic) and the performances natural and full of humanity.”
After receiving the award, Abdolreza Kahani said:
“I made this film without money, through hard work. My body still aches. This is single-person cinema. It stands against large-scale financial support for particular films. Please correct these funding imbalances. I thank Paul Reed, who discovered this cinema. This film speaks of warning and a great danger. I hope world leaders can hear it. Now the Sean Connery statue is in my hands. I must make better films. I thank Visit Films, the distributor.”
“Mortician” was produced by Ark Gate Films (owned by Abdolreza Kahani and Shima Monfared), as well as NivaArt and Visit Films.
Its successful screening at Edinburgh and winning the top prize set a bright outlook for the film’s continued presence in global festivals and markets—a path that, supported by critical acclaim and its international distributor, could lead to wider releases.
Abdolreza Kahani’s latest film, Mortician, is having its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2025, which is currently underway in Edinburgh, Scotland. The festival runs from 14 to 20 August 2025.
Check out the full report and all the exciting details in Variety
The acclaimed film A Shrine, directed by Abdolreza Kahani, which previously received positive responses at international festivals, is now officially available on Apple TV.
This is a great opportunity to watch one of the most unique and bold works of this Iranian filmmaker in high quality and through an official platform.
Head to Apple TV now and watch A Shrine!
https://tv.apple.com/ca/
