MERAN ISMAILSOY - CO-DIRECTOR

Meran Ismailsoyi is a Canadian-Azerbaijani filmmaker with a directing and acting background. Having more than a decade of experience in producing various projects such as music videos, documentaries, and shorts contributed to developing his unique vision. Meran approaches film as the art side of philosophy and believes that this art form can help people see things from different sides and question reality.

ANYA CHIRKOVA - CO-DIRECTOR/PRODUCER

Anya Chirkova is a Ukrainian-Russian film Director/Producer. In her work, she's always looking to tell painful, yet cathartic stories that feel strikingly personal. She is the co-owner of a Toronto-based production company Funny Bone Pictures and a Sundance alumna. Currently, Anya is in pre-production of her first feature film.

MAZIYAR KHATAM - WRITER/ACTOR/PRODUCER

A graduate of the Humber Film And Television Production program, Maziyar Khatam is an Iranian-Canadian. Director/Writer with a passion for telling offbeat and revealing stories. In addition to that, Mazivar has contributed to a wide range of projects ranging from music videos to documentaries, always focusing on challenging and independent content. Mazivar is a Sundance alumnus and the co-owner of Funny Bone Pictures, a production company in Toronto, Canada.

Baba is a fever dream dark comedy that focuses on a father accelerating down a path of narcissism and toxic masculinity. It's a character study of a middle-aged Iranian man whose lifestyle crumbled after an agonizing divorce, leading him into a downward spiral of avoiding consequences. At its core, the story deals with an immigrant who hasn't fully integrated, is constantly dealing with language barriers, and is being parented by his own son. The film aims to examine the aftermath of an individual who escaped from an oppressive country and unwittingly over-indulged in the freedom of his newly found culture.

The short-sightedness of the father's nature informed us to have the film takes place in real-time, fueling horrifyingly awkward moments. The film's intimate and heartbreaking story comes from the screenplay by Maziyar Khatam, whose real-life father was the core inspiration. Mazivar also portrays the son in the film. This project is a collaboration of three individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds, navigating the psychology of a desperate immigrant father.