Mahtab, a lonely and financially struggling woman, finds comfort in a virtual romance with a man from her homeland, Iran. As he sells her a dream and fuels her hopes, she begins selling her belongings to help bring him to Australia.
But when the illusion begins to crumble, Mahtab is forced to confront a painful question: will she open her eyes to the truth, or keep clinging to a love that never truly existed?
short film / persian / 2024
Starring Atefeh Saniee (Mahtab) & Mary Soudi (Anahita)
writer / director — Melika Azimi
producer — Casey Mccosh
cinematographer — Ella Stone Richards
costume designer / art director — Tara Eshraghi
editor — Akam Singh, Melika Azimi
sound designer — Liam Uhlmann
composer — Ben Tinker​​​​
​​2025 Jury Awards announced at Opening Night Gala | Made in the West Film Festival | November 2025
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Celebrating the AFTRS Class of 2024 | AFTRS | May 2025​​​​​​​​
Winner —
Best Student Film — Made in the West Film Festival 2025
AFTRS Women in Cinematography Graduation Prize, by Sony 2025
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Nominee —
Best Director — Made in the West Film Festival 2025
Best Screenplay — Made in the West Film Festival 2025
Best Cinematographer — Made in the West Film Festival 2025
Best Original Music Score — Made in the West Film Festival 2025
Best Lead Actor— Made in the West Film Festival 2025
Best Supporting Actor— Made in the West Film Festival 2025
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Official Selection —
Melbourne Women in Film Festival 2026
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Shortlisted —
Flickers' Rhode Island International Film Festival 2025
Byron Bay International Film Festival 2025
Australian Womens' Film Festival 2025​
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