Morteza Rafiei

Morteza Rafiei’s filmmaking journey began with a love for cinema that took root in his childhood in Iran. Growing up surrounded by stories of resilience and hardship, he found early on that film was more than entertainment. It was a way to speak truth, preserve memory, and ignite change. That passion carried him across the world, where he studied at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and began building what is now more than 12 years of experience in film, documentary, and media production. His directorial voice first gained international recognition with F as Mahdis, a searing narrative about an activist racing against time to save a woman wrongfully sentenced to execution in Iran. The film’s powerful human core resonated globally and earned awards at festivals such as the Miami Film Festival and Toronto Women International Film Festival. Morteza has continued to craft films that balance compelling narratives with urgent social commentary. His award winning documentary Freedomtown Not So Black and White followed activists and a former police officer during the George Floyd protests, confronting questions of justice, race, and humanity in America. The film was embraced by more than 20 film festivals, including the Cannes Short Film Corner. His documentary Little Tehran Theater reflects both his roots and his advocacy. The film chronicles a group of Iranian refugee artists in America who stage a theatrical production to shed light on the long history of women’s rights struggles in Iran, leading up to the Women Life Freedom movement and the death of Mahsa Amini. Through their voices, the film becomes both remembrance and a call to action. He also explored the inner workings of Hollywood in his award winning short film The Assistant, which reveals the emotional toll of being an assistant in the entertainment industry and has received multiple festival honors including recognition in Los Angeles. Most recently, Morteza completed a pilot titled Lonely Boy, an extreme micro budget project that many believed could not be produced at a cinematic level with the available resources. He took the initiative to lead the project through production and post production himself, shooting and editing the pilot and shaping it into a visually cinematic piece despite tight constraints. Morteza began his career as a cinematographer and later immersed himself deeply in editing and post production. By working hands on across camera, editing, and story structure, he developed a full spectrum understanding of filmmaking before stepping further into directing and writing. His early focus on documentary storytelling strengthened his instinct for truth and human behavior, which he later carried into scripted narrative work. This cross discipline foundation continues to shape him into a more complete and effective filmmaker with each project. Across his body of work, Morteza Rafiei creates films that center empathy, justice, and truth. From human rights stories to intimate personal struggles, his filmmaking remains deeply personal, socially conscious, and focused on the human heart at the center of every narrative.