Kazem Mollaie

Kazem Mollaie, born in 1981 in Iran, is an independent filmmaker who began making short films in 1999. He earned a B.A. in Cinema Directing from Soore University of Tehran in 2005 and has been involved in various film organizations, including Directors UK, the Directors Guild of Iran, and the Board of Directors of the Iranian Short Film Association (ISFA). He has also participated as a jury member in several festivals, such as the Tehran International Short Film Festival (Academy Awards® Qualifying), Iran Cinema Celebration, and Nahal International Student Short Film Festival. His short films, including "MINUS" (2009) and "DELETE" (2011), laid the foundation for his recognition and the making of his first feature film, "KUPAL" (2017), which was screened at festivals such as New Horizons, Belgrade, and Kerala. In 2020, his second feature, "THE BADGER," premiered at the 23rd Shanghai Film Festival and was nominated for Best Film. It later competed at the 27th Austin Film Festival, where it received the Best Narrative Jury Award.