Noora Niasari’s Shayda follows a young Iranian mother (Zar Amir Ebrahimi) who finds refuge with her six-year-old daughter Mona (Selina Zahednia) in an Australian women’s shelter during the two weeks of Iranian New Year (Nowrooz) in 1995.
Aided by the strong community of women at the refuge, they seek their freedom in this new world of possibilities, only to find themselves facing the violence they tried so hard to escape – namely Hossein, Shayda’s domineering and abusive husband (Osamah Sami), who seeks to be reunited with his daughter.
The cast also includes Leah Purcell, Jillian Nguyen, Mojean Aria, and Selina Zahednia.
Written and directed by Niasari, co-founder of Parandeh Pictures, Shayda was produced by Vincent Sheehan through his new production venture Origma 45, with Dirty Films’ Cate Blanchett, Andrew Upton, and Coco Francini serving as executive producers.
It received major production investment from Screen Australia, in association with The 51 Fund, and was financed with support from VicScreen and the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) Premiere Fund.
Shayda will be released nationally on September 28 via Madman Entertainment, following its Australian premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival.