Some of the films have been authorized by the producer for public release and are marked with the [WATCH] label. Click on a film poster to watch it.
Aion
2D Animation, In Production, 2027 Written & Directed by Payam Shokouhirad
Panopticon
2D Animation, In Production, 2027 Written & Directed by Payam Shokouhirad
INDUCERE (2026)
Written & Directed by Payam Shokouhirad
Charm (2025)
Stop-motion Animation - Written & Directed by Payam Shokouhirad
Death (2025) [WATCH]
"Death" is Peyam Shokouhirad’s first film created using artificial intelligence tools, combined with real archival footage. Synopsis : An old man sits alone, playing a game of chess. Suddenly, Death appears before him, ready to claim his life. But the old man, calm and sharp-witted, challenges the Angel of Death to a wager: if the old man loses, Death may take his soul—but if Death loses, it must erase itself from existence forever. Death loses. And from that moment on, no one in the world dies anymore…
Twenty-Nine Twelve 2009 [WATCH]
"Twenty-Nine Twelve" was the first film shot with the financial support of a private producer and with professional filmmaking equipment, in 2009. Due to the particular social in Iran during that year, the film was never officially released. Synopsis : On New Year’s Eve, an elderly grandmother cleverly manipulates her children and grandchildren. Everyone believes that her hearing aid is broken and no longer working, but she secretly hears their conversations as they discuss plans to sell the family’s ancestral home.
Maybe (2009)
"Maybe" is a fully postmodern and experimental film directed by Payam Shokouhirad in 2009. The film was never publicly screened or released. Synopsis : Two men find themselves trapped in a barren and lifeless limbo, where they gradually realize that they are dead. One of them is deeply religious, while the other is a free-spirited man. The film unfolds through the clash and confrontation between these two opposing worldviews.
Where Are the Director’s Shoes? (Documentary) 2008 [WATCH]
"Where Are the Director’s Shoes?" was Payam Shokouhirad’s first experience directing a documentary film. The documentary was filmed in 2008 and was selected for the Children and Youth Film Festival in the same year. Synopsis : A filmmaking crew visits an elementary school to cast a child actor for a film. In order to observe the children’s natural reactions and behavior during the casting process, the crew — with the school administration’s cooperation — stages a fictional incident, pretending that the director’s shoes (belonging to the actor playing the director) have gone missing. Each child then shares a simple and innocent story about the disappearance of the shoes.
One Day Before Tomorrow 2008 [WATCH]
"One Day Before Tomorrow" was the first film by Payam Shokouhirad to be produced with the support and budget of a film institute in Iran, in 2008. The film was selected for the International Children and Youth Film Festival of Iran in 2008 and was also honored at the Tehran International Short Film Festival the same year. In addition, the film was screened at dozens of Iranian and international festivals, earning numerous awards and recognitions. Synopsis : A young boy, deeply curious about how babies are born, is left alone at home on the exact day his family’s second child is due to arrive. The film follows the boy’s innocent questions, sexual curiosities, and childlike attempts to understand the mystery of birth.
Twenty Seconds 2007 [WATCH]
"Twenty Seconds" is a very short film shot in a single take in 2007. The film was screened at two festivals dedicated to very short films later that same year. Synopsis : The Angel of Death appears before a man and whispers in his ear that he has only twenty seconds left to live. Terrified by these words, the man panics and runs frantically in every direction — only to be struck by a car exactly twenty seconds later, and…
Face to Face (2007)
"Face to Face" is the second short film directed by Payam Shokouhirad, produced in 2007. Synopsis : A couple in love sit facing one another. As the film gradually unfolds, we come to realize that each of them lives in a different place, and that their conversations exist only within their imaginations.
The Third Person (2006)
"The Third Person" is the first short film directed by Payam Shokouhirad, produced and released in 2006. In 2007, the film was screened at three film festivals. Synopsis : The story follows a man on his way home when he suddenly comes face to face with himself — and, to his utter disbelief, finds that he must escape from his own self.