Aban and Khorshid

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Aban and Khorshid
Film poster
Directed byDarwin Serink
Written byDarwin Serink
Produced byTommee May
Christofer Leggett
Darwin Serink
Candace Silvers
Anna Brunoro (executive)
Brendan Filuk (executive)
StarringMojean Aria
Bobby Naderi
CinematographyJason McCormick
Edited byAlison Carter
Music bySage Lewis
Production
companies
Release date
  • 23 May 2014 (2014-05-23) (Seattle)
Running time
13 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagePersian

Aban and Khorshid (original title – Aban + Khorshid) is a 2014 American gay drama film written and directed by Darwin Serink.[1]

The short film included in the DVD Boys On Film 14: Worlds Collide.[2][3]

Plot[edit]

Aban and Khorshid, an Iranian gay couple, are in adjacent prison cells, imprisoned and sentenced to death for their relationship. Flashbacks show Khorshid recording Aban, asking him to say his name and to sing, which Aban does. He asks Khorshid to tell him how they first met; on Chaharshanbe Suri, when Khorshid and some others were lighting a fire, Aban appeared "out of nowhere".

Back in their cells, Khorshid asks Aban what superpower he would like to have, and says he'd like to fly. Aban recalls sipping tea and pretending to be a vampire, using cucumbers as fangs. After remembering this, he complains about being hungry, so Khorshid pretends to order food for the both of them. The couple is shown having sex. Aban asks what it will be like after they die; Khorshid answers that nothing will happen afterwards, and nobody will bother them. Aban stares out of his cell's window and remembers Khorshid laughing and joking about his large appetite. However, the couple's joyful moment is interrupted by police breaking into their home and violently arresting them. Khorshid passes Aban a photograph of the two, who in the photo are a glowing white dot.

Aban and Khorshid, both blindfolded, are roughly taken out of a truck and led to the gallows, where they will be publicly hanged. On the gallows, Aban answers Khorshid's question about superpowers, saying that he would also like to fly. He begins to break down, begging to have his blindfold removed so he can look at Khorshid one last time. To calm Aban, Khorshid tells him to "grab his wing". They hold each other's bound hands, but lose their grip.

Cast[edit]

  • Mojean Aria as Aban
  • Bobby Naderi as Khorshid
  • Stahaub Roudbari as Break in Guard
  • Hamid Nayini as Guard #2
  • Arash Rahdari as Guard #3
  • Shahaub Roudbari as Execution Guard #1
  • Homayoon Doroodian as Execution Guard #2

Participation in international festivals and awards[edit]

2014:

  • Casting Society of America (US)[4]
  • Image Out, The Rochester LGBT Film & Video Festival (US) -- Jury Award Winners: Best Short Film[5]
  • Iris Prize Festival – Cardiff (UK) – Highly Commended[6]
  • Long Island Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (US) – Short Film Awards: Men's – Jury Award, Audience Award[7]
  • Outfest (US) – Best of Fest[8]
  • Palm Springs International Film Festival (US) – Best of Fest[9]
  • SIFF, Seattle International Film Festival (US) – ShortsFest Award Winners: Live Action, Special Jury Mention,[10] and Golden Space Needle Award – Best Short Film, Fourth runner-up[11]

2015:

  • Cannes Emerging Filmmakers Showcase, American Pavilion (France) – LGBTQ Showcase – winner[12]
  • CIFF 39, Cleveland International Film Festival (US) – Best LGBT Short[13][14]
  • GAZE International LGBT Film Festival – Dublin (Ireland) – Best International Short – Winner[15]

Reviews[edit]

  • "This is my first film at PSSF and it’s been great! I’ve been blown away by people’s responses to the film. I love watching it with an audience, hearing the heavy silences, hearing the focused attention, hearing the tears, hearing the hope..." (Tommee May, 2014-07-14).[16]
  • "Two Lovers, Even in Death" (Amos Lassen, 2016-02-15).[17]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "ABAN + KHORSHID". Archived from the original on 2019-01-25. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
  2. ^ "Boys On Film 14: Worlds Collide".
  3. ^ "Darwin Serink".
  4. ^ "Casting Society of America to Honor Rob Marshall, Ellen Lewis". 22 September 2014.
  5. ^ "ImageOut Film Awards and Juries".[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "Best of Iris". Archived from the original on 2016-09-12. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
  7. ^ "LIGLFF 2014 AWARD WINNERS!". Archived from the original on 2018-11-03. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
  8. ^ "Newfest 2014 Program Announced". Outfest. Archived from the original on September 12, 2014. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  9. ^ "Aban & Khorshid". Archived from the original on 2016-04-18.
  10. ^ "2014 SHORTSFEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED".
  11. ^ "SIFF ANNOUNCES 2014 GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE & COMPETITION AWARDS".
  12. ^ "2015 Winners Announced".
  13. ^ "Best LGBT Short". Archived from the original on 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
  14. ^ "Aban + Khorshid". Archived from the original on 2021-05-15. Retrieved 2016-04-09.
  15. ^ "GAZE Film Awards 2015". Archived from the original on 2016-04-25.
  16. ^ "'Aban +Khorshid'. Interview with producer Tommee May".
  17. ^ ""ABAN AND KHORSHID"— Two Lovers, Even in Death". 15 February 2016.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aban_and_Khorshid&oldid=1192961448"