Azadeh Nikzadeh
- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Azadeh Nikzadeh makes films about what gets buried, and what refuses to stay buried.
She directs high-concept, research-driven thrillers at the intersection of myth, technology, and human rights. Her project The Deviants, in development as of 2026, is a mythic political thriller exploring state surveillance, historical trauma, and resistance. Recognized as a Second Rounder for the Sundance Institute / Alfred P. Sloan Development Track and grounded in a decade of archival research, including survivor testimonies and ancient Zoroastrian mythology, the project brings an unprecedented perspective to high-concept genre cinema.
Her work sits at the intersection of cultural preservation, human rights documentation, and cinematic world-building. Bringing native Persian fluency and scholarship in ancient Avestan to material largely inaccessible to Western cinema, she tells stories from perspectives the industry hasn't heard.
Previous work includes the documentaries Safe Sets (Prime Video, Apple TV), Credible Fear, and Left Bank: The Women Who Rescued James Joyce's Ulysses (in post-production). Her feature screenplay Dandelion was developed at the Athena Film Festival Writers Lab and recognized as a Second Rounder for both the Austin Film Festival and the Sundance Screenwriters Lab. Her work has been presented at the UN Commission on the Status of Women, the Museum of Tolerance, and the International Religious Freedom Summit.
She serves on the board of HRTS Associates New York.
She directs high-concept, research-driven thrillers at the intersection of myth, technology, and human rights. Her project The Deviants, in development as of 2026, is a mythic political thriller exploring state surveillance, historical trauma, and resistance. Recognized as a Second Rounder for the Sundance Institute / Alfred P. Sloan Development Track and grounded in a decade of archival research, including survivor testimonies and ancient Zoroastrian mythology, the project brings an unprecedented perspective to high-concept genre cinema.
Her work sits at the intersection of cultural preservation, human rights documentation, and cinematic world-building. Bringing native Persian fluency and scholarship in ancient Avestan to material largely inaccessible to Western cinema, she tells stories from perspectives the industry hasn't heard.
Previous work includes the documentaries Safe Sets (Prime Video, Apple TV), Credible Fear, and Left Bank: The Women Who Rescued James Joyce's Ulysses (in post-production). Her feature screenplay Dandelion was developed at the Athena Film Festival Writers Lab and recognized as a Second Rounder for both the Austin Film Festival and the Sundance Screenwriters Lab. Her work has been presented at the UN Commission on the Status of Women, the Museum of Tolerance, and the International Religious Freedom Summit.
She serves on the board of HRTS Associates New York.
