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.
