97th academy awards shortlist | 2025
Shirin Sohani & Hossein Molayemi
directors: In the Shadow of the Cypress
BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT SHORTLIST
Writer/Directors: Shirin Sohani & Hossein Molayemi
CAST
ZAHRA MOOSAVI
JAN, 8, 2025
Living in a house by the sea with his daughter, a former captain who has post-traumatic stress disorder leads a tough and secluded life.
The short animated film In the Shadow of the Cypress written and directed by Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani has received many international awards so far, including four Oscar-qualifying Best Animation prizes from Tribeca, Animayo, LA Shorts, and Spark Animation.
Hi Hossein and Shirin, thank you for talking to TNC. How does it feel to have "In the Shadow of the Cypress/Dar Saaye Sarv" shortlisted for the 2025 Animated Short Film?
We are extremely glad, to be honest, but it's also a mixture of hope and anxiety. We are just a few steps away from a nomination, and having our film acknowledged by the Academy members is a dream come true. As far as we know, other than the animated short Our Uniform by Yegane Moghaddam, which was nominated last year, and our own film In the Shadow of the Cypress, no Iranian animated or live-action short film has made it to the Oscars shortlist so far. We are aware of how important this can be for our careers and future projects.
On the other hand, the Iranian people have been suffering for decades due to war, sanctions, economic crises, constant national currency devaluation, and the dark clouds of dictatorship. This recognition could bring immense joy to our tired and oppressed nation and boost their morale. That’s why it is so important to us.
This has been an incredible six-year journey for you both, bringing "In the Shadow of the Cypress/Dar Saaye Sarv" to the big screen. Have you been able to enjoy the process, or have nerves started to take over?
Actually, it's been more than six years. This journey has been filled with both joyful and bitter days. We tried to make it as tolerable as possible for ourselves, but it would be a lie to say we always enjoyed the process. We made this film under extraordinary political and economic circumstances in our country. We faced daily problems much bigger than the usual challenges of a typical project in a normal country. Whatever we try, we can’t fully convey what we went through in making this film. There were many times when we were on the verge of a mental breakdown. However, we kept each other motivated and, fortunately, managed to overcome all the obstacles.
Let us tell you something: we don’t want to sound superstitious, but we really felt a spiritual and metaphysical power helping us throughout the process. Completing this project amid all the challenges we faced in our country felt like a miracle.
What do you think it is about "In the Shadow of the Cypress/Dar Saaye Sarv" that has connected with your audiences so much?
In Persian, we have an old proverb that says, "What comes from the bottom of one's heart will surely penetrate into other people's hearts." We tried to be as honest as possible with both the audience and ourselves while making this film. Instead of taking an opportunistic approach or following global trends and film festival desires, we focused on creating something we truly believed in. We made the film with love.
Additionally, we tackled themes that many people can relate to. Everyone has experienced some form of trauma, and that’s why many viewers connect with the film from their own perspectives.
"In the Shadow of the Cypress/Dar Saaye Sarv" has had an amazing festival run, winning multiple awards, including several at the Tehran International Short Film Festival.
What has it meant to you both to get this recognition for your film?
Fortunately, other than the award you mentioned, our film has won many other awards, including four Oscar-qualifying awards from Tribeca, Animayo, LA Shorts, and Spark Animation. We are incredibly grateful for them.
In our opinion, winning a prize shouldn’t be a filmmaker's ultimate goal, but from a practical point of view, awards are very useful in paving the way for filmmakers toward their true ambitions. Both of us have big dreams, one of which is to make our first feature film. Receiving prestigious awards, or even better, winning an Oscar or gaining a nomination, would make prospective producers and financiers more likely to believe in us, trust us, and help us make our first feature-length animated film.
Can you tell me how "In the Shadow of the Cypress/Dar Saaye Sarv" came about?
Initially, we just wanted to tell a story about a family—a parent and a child. Our main focus was on the love and sacrifices a parent makes for their child. We started with two characters and some blank sheets and two pens on the table, nothing more. At first, we weren’t even sure about the characters' gender, so we began with a woman and her son. During the story development phase, we changed their gender and the setting two or three times. Gradually, elements like war, PTSD, and the environment found their way into the story. This happened almost unconsciously, through numerous two-person brainstorming sessions over the course of a year.
Our personal life experiences, including our relationships with our fathers, played a significant role in shaping the characters and story. Shirin's father is an Iran-Iraq war veteran, still suffering from the wounds of that war. Hossein, on the other hand, has always had a challenging relationship with his father.
In addition, the history of our nation and the events that followed the revolution also served as important sources of inspiration. It should be mentioned that one of our motivations for this project was to honour PTSD veterans of the Iran-Iraq war and serve our weary nation.
Had you always intended for the film to be without dialogue?
Unlike our previous animated short, Run Rostam Run, which was full of dialogues and voiceovers (mostly in the form of poetry), we decided to make In the Shadow of the Cypress without any dialogue to make it more accessible to a wider audience. We wanted to take a more international approach with this film.
Additionally, we believed that, in some ways, a dialogue-free film is closer to the true nature of cinema and pure art. However, it’s worth mentioning that silent films can sometimes feel artificial, and it’s often difficult for filmmakers to make them natural and convincing. That said, the relationship between the captain and his daughter, as well as the physical distance between them, made it easier for us to avoid using any dialogue in the film.
How much flexibility did you allow yourself with your screenplay?
During pre-production, we tried to be as flexible as possible, especially during story development. We believe that limited and censored art isn’t true art, so we didn’t want to restrict our imagination. We didn’t decide on the ending at the start of story development; instead, we let the story unfold organically, allowing our subconscious to shape it.
What was the message you wanted to convey with "In the Shadow of the Cypress/Dar Saaye Sarv," and do you think you achieved it?
To be honest, we didn’t aim to convey a direct or open message. Our primary goal was to express our feelings through a story about love, family, and parenthood. We wanted to create a story that would appeal to a wide audience.
Additionally, as we mentioned earlier, it was a tribute to the Iran-Iraq war veterans who still live with the scars of that war, particularly those suffering from PTSD.
Now you can be reflective. What would you say has been the most valuable lesson you've taken away from making "In the Shadow of the Cypress/Dar Saaye Sarv"?
Making a film is like graduating from a film school. It was our biggest project to date, so it's clear we learned a lot about filmmaking throughout this process. But most importantly, we learned about perseverance and determination. It may sound like a cliché, but it's the truth. We faced numerous challenges in Iran, including sanctions, economic crises, currency devaluation, Hossein's sudden illness (Alopecia Universalis), personal and family problems, a lack of skilled animators due to emigration, and severe budget limitations. We had to solve many problems on a daily basis and keep ourselves and our team motivated. The difficulties we encountered during more than six years of making this film were just the tip of the iceberg. There were times when we were on the brink of total disappointment, but we made it through. What we learned about problem-solving and endurance was far more valuable.
Have you always had a passion for animation?
Both of us have been passionate about animation since childhood, even more than other children. Before we entered the world of animation, we both attended art high school, focusing on painting and graphic design. To be honest, neither of us expected to become animation filmmakers in the future. Now, we feel incredibly lucky that we did.
How important is the creative collaboration between you both when writing and directing this animated short?
Co-directing inevitably brings challenges, disagreements, and competition. But we succeeded in working efficiently together because we weren’t competing. Our top priority was simply to make a good film. Nothing else mattered. We believe that when two people collaborate toward a common goal, their power doesn’t just double—it multiplies.
What do you think are the ingredients for sustaining such a long and fruitful creative partnership?
Good intentions, shared ambitions, the same philosophy of life, prioritising the film and collective interests over personal ones, and—last but not least—honesty.
How much did your time at Tehran University of Art help prepare you for your filmmaking journey?
We’re often asked whether attending university is necessary to become a good filmmaker. We usually recommend it if they want to be filmmakers, not just technicians. While not enough on its own, university can provide a good environment. At least, it forces you to make a graduation film.
In our case, even though the program had flaws, and could have been more efficient, we were satisfied with our time there. We believe that students shouldn’t rely solely on what they’re taught at university or college but should manage their own learning process. We made the most of the limited resources at Tehran University of Art. However, we also acknowledge that many successful directors never attended university or film school.
"We hope that, by exploring the deeper layers, the audience will feel the warmth of love, hope, care, and delicate human relationships."
Shirin: This is your first professional film, your debut being "The Fan" in 2014. What has this process been like for you?
Yes, it may seem a significant gap between my debut film and my first professional film. But during the years between the two, I was working hard and learning. In the Shadow of the Cypress took over six years to complete, but the real gap between completing my graduation film and starting this one was only about three years. During that time, I collaborated with Hossein on his previous animated short, Run Rostam Run.
Do you have any tips or advice for future animators?
We don’t feel ourselves in a position to give advice, but if asked, we would recommend learning as much as you can about cinema and considering yourselves cinema students. Remember, you're filmmakers and cinematographers, not just people who move paintings and illustrations.
And finally, what do you hope your audiences will take away from "In the Shadow of the Cypress/Dar Saaye Sarv"?
While working on the script, we didn’t know exactly how the story would end, but we were certain about one thing: we wanted to show the support parents give their children and the significance of family beneath the film’s painful surface. We hope that, by exploring the deeper layers, the audience will feel the warmth of love, hope, care, and delicate human relationships. We also hope that the film evokes a sense of catharsis in the viewers. Another goal was to help the audience truly feel the lives of individuals suffering from PTSD and their families.
Lastly, we love hearing viewers' personal interpretations of the film's symbols and
metaphors.