Shahin Gorgani

Shahin Gorgani, an independent writer, filmmaker, musician, and actor from Iran, is currently teaching filmmaking at the UNCSA. He has been awarded a NEA grant for an installation project. His experiences include teaching at CalArts, serving as a juror at the Guadalajara International Film Festival, and participating in the 2023 Cine Qua Non-Storyline lab. In the United States, he has performed concerts with many accomplished Iranian musicians, such as Grammy-nominated Keyhan Kalhor and the Shams Ensemble, in venues like Lincoln Center in New York and the Library of Congress. He has also acted in three plays by Bahram Beyzaie, Iran's most prominent contemporary playwright and director. Shahin received his BS in Clinical Nutrition from UC Davis and holds an MFA in the Film Directing Program at CalArts. He is a co-founder at Studio Dastan.

Works showcased at MENA:

When There Were Trees
Drama
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Short
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22
 mins
A former Iranian actress embarks on a journey to find the woman she was forced to leave because of society’s taboos.