Bita Ghassemi "FIREWALL" - Persian Mythological Short Film Campaign Video

Hi, my name is Bita and I'm an Iranian Texan filmmaker and the writer and director of Firewall. Firewall is a film drawn from personal experiences about a 13-year-old girl of Persian heritage in suburban Texas, Ani, who shares the ancient legend of Zahhak, The Serpent King in a school presentation. Amidst political turmoil in Iran, Ani's father is stuck and her mother can't get ahold of him because of a firewall that's blocking communication with Iran. When ancient Persian mythology merges with Ani's reality, she must confront a sinister force within her home, blurring the lines between a Persian legend and her own personal demons. The story of the serpent king and the resilience of the ancient Persian people who rose against his tyrannical reign is a metaphor for what present-day Iranians are going through, and it shows how we always persevere through adversity, echoing the resilience of our ancestors. We all know mythological figures like Hercules, Zeus, Poseidon, and Thor, but we haven't really seen much Persian mythology in the mainstream. This story will not only introduce Persian mythology to the world, but it will also amplify the voices of Iranians grappling with ongoing threats to their basic human rights. I think Middle Eastern stories that don't villainize us are hard to come by, and I want to help tell these stories. As a native Austinite who grew up in a Persian household, I'm proud of the two cultures that shape my identity and give me a lot to draw inspiration from in my work. I am especially drawn to films from the Iranian New Wave of cinema, like films by Abbas Kiarostami, Jafar Panahi, and Majid Majidi. These stories often center around realism and focus on contemporary societal issues. In my own work, I often delve into social commentaries that center on themes of censorship and women's rights. Hailing from a state that proudly touts its freedom yet imposes restrictions on women's bodies, and coming from a cultural background whose country is currently ruled by a government that frequently censors both women and freedom of speech, beach, these issues are unfortunately all too familiar to me. A little more about me: my long-term collaborators Ellen Culver and Tiger Hill and I created a production company together called Pillar Boxed, where we are today, and our work has screened at a multitude of festivals and venues around the world. We originally created Pillar Boxed to have a more diverse and inclusive space where everyone on set would feel welcome, and that's what I will emphasize on my shoot as well. The reality is filmmaking is expensive. To make this short, we need funds for equipment, securing locations, hiring talented actors, designing the sets, assembling skilled crew, and your contribution, however big or small, will help give this story the respect it deserves. Many of you may be watching this video and want to contribute to the film purely due to your personal connection with me or just a genuine interest in supporting my endeavors. However, I think this project transcends being any other short film. I hope that this film will be part of a shift towards more Middle Eastern storytelling and that it will create tangible real-world change. So if you've made it to the end of this video, I love you, and let's make some art together.