Zahra Shahhatami


Zahra Shahhatami was born in 1987 in Tehran, Iran.
She started her career as a writer from a very young age. She is known as an author, screenplay writer and director.
Zahra moved out of Iran at the age of 18, around this time she wrote her first feature film. She directed her first movie in 2014 (a “100 second film”).
With her move to the USA in 2017, she extended her portfolio of “100 second films”. Those films are all centered around the topic’s of women rights and human rights.

She was able to complete her first feature film “There Is No Rain in Hell” in 2022. It was a natural continuation of her fight for human rights by creating an anti-war film, by showing the impact and tragedy of war endured by civilians.
Her biggest driver is to relive pain from each and every single human, who was has been abused or suffered from any kind violence.
“I myself come from a country, where women having a deep desire to be free, successful, powerful and independent. Those women who are unable to follow their talent and therefore live an unfulfilled life. Their dream is to be able to share the hardship of life with any institution or authority that cares and protects their basic human rights as a woman. I want to give those women a voice and want their story to be seen. “

There Is No Rain in Hell

Feature Film, Tehran, IRAN, 2022

“The world in which peace is a fragment between two burials”

The city stands in the apocalypse era, no location, no time. When brute war starts, all hell breaks loose. Only 8 people survived are captives themselves in the old candle factory. They stared death in the eyes and stood against it, not surrendering. Every single one of them protects something which represents a strand of life in a place where there is no sight of existence.

War gets near to them every bit, death is always closer than life. in their circumstances, happiness is brief but carving the victory is the cause of survive.

They fear catastrophes that will destroy everything and leave no way back for humanity. Human death didn't win the war, nor did it end the war. It might be that they’re the last victims of this war and one day there will be peace in the world.

FILM FESTIVALS

  • Sneak Preview: Richmond International Film Festival, Richmond, VA USA

  • World Premiere: Cinequest (Winner), San Jose, CA, USA

  • Orlando International Film Festival, Orlando, FL USA

There Is No Rain in Hell Trailer

HER ARTISTRY & VISION

  • Zahra is one of the next powerful female voices of her generation. Her aesthetic and artistic vision will captivate you. And her films will leave you breathless and in contemplation for days.

    Heather Waters, Founder & Producer Richmond International Film Festival

  • Zahra Shahhatami is a talented young director. Her first feature film called “There Is No Rain in Hell” tries to search for life, love, humanity and peace. In a war-torn world, apocalyptic war-torn world. Beautiful filmed and well worth watching.

    Mana Neyestani, Iranian cartoonist

  • Zahra's work is simply mesmerizing. She somehow makes the art form of cinema feel like oil on canvas. Textured, rich, timeless - not only for the eyes, but with intentional choices of performance-sculpting. Zahra possesses a filmmaking voice destined to be heard.

    Andy Edmunds, Director of the Virginia Film Office

  • Zahra Shahhatamii’s artistic journey and her debut feature “There Is No Rain In Hell.” What a spectacular achievement in visual storytelling the film is, made by a director with a powerful vision that conveys the beauty and strength of the human spirit—even in our most desperate moments. Zahra’s impactful artistry simply leaves me breathless.

    Michael Rabehl, Programming Director, Cinequest Film Festival

100 Seconds Films

These short films are dedicated to the women of the world.

Interpretations and conclusions are up to every individual viewer. The director has never explained her vision of these films to the audience.

Saorsa

Short Film, Tehran, IRAN

This film is dedicated to the brave and strong Iranian women, who stand for their right and fight for freedom.

The women who made history, by the first woman lead revolution ever.

Woman, Life, Freedom

Zan, Zendegi, Azadi (Farsi)

Film Festivals

  • Richmond International Film Festival, Virginia, USA (WORLD PREMIERE)

Saorsa Short Film

Umbra

Short Film, Washington DC, USA, 2019

To women who lost their inner brightness and dreams in the darkest part of a sunspot. Who suffer from pain, violence and abuse, which they hide in themselves and that stops them from shining.

Film Festivals

  • ME Film Festival, Georgia, USA

  • Oniros Film Awards, New York, USA

  • Worldwide Women's Film Festival, Phoenix, USA

  • SHORT to the Point Film Festival, Bucharest, ROMANIA

  • The Women's Film Festival, Philadelphia, USA

  • Moscow Shorts, RUSSIA

  • Independent Shorts Awards (Winner), Los Angeles, USA

  • Rome Prisma Film Awards, ITALY

  • Berlin Flash Film Festival, GERMANY

Umbra Short Film

DISENTHRALLED

Short Film, Washington DC, USA, 2018

The women who have lost their liberty between their strands of hair and will be free from slavery when their false freedom dances in the wind.

Film Festivals

  • SHORT to the Point, Bucharest, ROMANIA

  • Moscow Shorts, RUSSIA

  • Berlin Flash Film Festival, GERMANY

Disenthralled Short Film

“A poet is someone who use a single image to send a universal message ”

— Andrei Tarkovsky