Azadeh Navai is an Iranian independent writer and director. As a descendant of Bakhtiari nomads on one side of her family and the Qajar dynasty on the other, Azadeh finds inspiration in her Persian roots; in the explorations of the people, culture and history of her home country. Azadeh’s films have screened internationally–including BFI London, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Edinburgh International Film Festival, New York Film Festival, San Francisco International Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, SLAMDANCE, and International Short Film Festival Oberhausen. Azadeh’s 2023 film, Rizoo, is the story of an eight-year-old girl about to reach the legal age of wearing the hijab in Iran and the implications surrounding the transition. Her 2024 film, Walnut Sandwich, tells the story of an elderly Iranian man who travels to Los Angeles to see his middle-aged daughter. Lastly, her feature debut, Sheepish, is a recent participant in the Cine Qua Non’s Storylines lab. Azadeh’s projects have been funded and supported by The New Yorker, the arthouse streaming platform, Fandor, and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Azadeh holds an MFA in Film & Video from California Institute of the Arts.