Shahram Mokri is surely one of the most fascinating new directors to come out of Iran. Born in Marand in 1977, he studies in Teheran, where he starts working as an editor for TV movies, series and documentaries, and directs his first short films (Electric Shock And Fly, Dragonfly Storm, Limit of Circle, Ando-C). After Ashkan, The Charmed Ring And Other Stories in 2009, he finds his own style with Fish & Cat, infused with Gus Van Sant's cinema, quantum physics and Escher's paintings. Adopting a system made of long sequence shots, he annihilates the prejudice that says they are synonymous with linear temporality. With exemplary maestria, he multiplies back and forth time changes, repeating situations, often with subtle variations. Beyond the technical prowess, Fish and Cat is a strong criticism of the iranian system and generation gap. A great success in his country, it will be shown in over 60 festivals, and Kiarostami himself payed Mokri a direct tribute in his last film 24 Frames. This year Shahram Mokri presents his third feature film, that stretches experimentation even further by immersing the viewer in a puzzle game made of false pretences and maddening mirror games. Probably the most stimulating and elating contemporary filmmaker.
