Abdolreza Kahani

In 2009, Kahani's film Twenty won the Special Jury Prize and the Prize of Ecumenical Jury at the 44th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The film observes a small band of employees trying to save a depressed Iranian banquet hall which the owner has decided to close in 20 days. Several of his films were censored for political reasons by the government of Iran, most notably the 2016 film Delighted. He emigrated to France in the mid-2010s, and has since worked with French and Canadian production companies. Isthmus, released in 2021, marked his English-language debut. He subsequently released the films You Won't See Winter, Nina and A Shrine. In 2025, his film Mortician won the Sean Connery Prize at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

• Name — Abdolreza Kahani • Native Name — عبدالرضا کاهانی • Other Names — Reza • Born — 22 December 1973 • Birthplace — Nishapur, Khorasan, Iran • Occupation — Director, screenwriter • Education — University of Tehran (M.A.) University of Arak (B.A.) • Years Active — 1988–present • Spouse — Shima Monfared

• Year — English title — Original title — Transliteration — Award • 2002 — Travellers of Need — مسافران نیاز — Mosaferan Niaz • 2003 — Empty Hands — باد به دستان — Baad Be Dastan • 2004 — Dance with the Moon — رقص با ماه — Raghs Ba Mah • 2005 — Crueltyville — ظلم آباد — Zolm Abad • 2007 — Adam — آدم — Adam • 2008 — Over There — آن جا — An Ja — Golden Alexander Thessaloniki International Film Festival 2008 • 2009 — Twenty — بیست — Bist — Special Prize of the Jury Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2009 Prize of the Ecumenical Jury Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2009 Honorary Diploma Best Director Fajr International Film Festival 2009 Silver Award Damascus International Film Festival 2009 • 2010 — Nothing — هیچ — Hich — Audience Award Yerevan International Film Festival 2010 • 2011 — Horses Are Noble Animals — اسب حیوان نجیبی است — Asb Heyvane Najibi Ast — Special Jury Award Celebration of Iranian Cinema Critics 2011 • 2012 — Needlessly and Causelessly — بی خود و بی جهت — Bikhod & Bi Jahat — Best Film of the Year Look Critics and Writers Film Magazine 2012 • 2014 — We Have Time — On a le temps — Vaght Darim Hala — Independent Camera Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2014 • 2015 — Absolute Rest — استراحت مطلق — Esterahate Motlagh • 2016 — Delighted — ارادتمند؛ نازنین، بهاره، تینا — Eradatmand; Nazanin, Bahareh, Tina • 2018 — Miss Yaya — ما شما را دوست داریم خانم یایا — Ma shoma ra doust darim khanom yaya • 2019 — Free Like Air — آزاد مثل هوا — Azad mesle Hava • 2021 — Isthmus — Isthmus — Estakhr • 2022 — You Won't See Winter • 2024 — A Shrine • 2024 — Nina • 2025 — Mortician • 2026 — Empty Heaven

• Special Jury Award at the ran Cinema Celebration in 2011 for the film Horses Are Noble Animals • Audience Award Yerevan International Film Festival 2010 for the film Nothing • Special Prize of the Jury Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2009 for the film Twenty • Prize of the Ecumenical Jury Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2009 for the film Twenty • Honorary Diploma Best Director 27th Fajr International Film Festival 2009 for the film Twenty • Silver Award Damascus International Film Festival 2009 for the film Twenty • Golden Alexander Thessaloniki International Film Festival 2008 for the film Over There

• Critics' choice for movie of the year by Film Magazine in 2012 for By No Reason.