Film screening and discussion: two short films directed by Kaveh Mazaheri
On 28 November 2025, Villa Arson is organising a screening and discussion of two short films, Retouch and Funfair, in the presence of director Kaveh Mazaheride.
Retouch (20 minutes): While training to lift increasingly heavy weights, Myriam’s husband gets stuck under his exercise equipment. As he fights for his life, Myriam makes a decision that will change the course of their lives…
Funfair (15 minutes): Majid, a man in financial difficulty, proposes a scheme to improve the life of his wife Sara.
Kavéh Mazahéri
Kavéh Mazahéri, born in 1981 in Tehran, Iran, is a leading figure of the new generation of Iranian independent cinema. He began his career as a director in 2007 and has since directed seven short fiction films, more than twenty documentaries and one feature film.
Much of her work addresses major social issues, with a particular focus on the challenges faced by women. Her short film Retouch is considered by many Iranian film critics to be one of the country’s most remarkable short films.
The film has won over 90 international awards, including at five Oscar-qualifying festivals: Tribeca, Krakow, Palm Springs, Tirana and Stockholm in 2017. In recognition of the film’s importance, the Iranian Cinema Museum in Tehran has dedicated a stand to it, displaying the awards and objects associated with Retouch.
Kavéh Mazahéri made a name for himself on the international scene with Botox, his first feature film, which won awards at the Turin and Fajr film festivals in 2020. He has also contributed to film education in Iran by teaching and leading workshops on the international distribution of short films. As a jury member at several festivals, he participated in the Tirana International Film Festival in Albania in September 2023, an event recognised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
However, 2023 marked a turning point in his life. A fervent supporter of the Women, Life, Freedom movement and advocate for change in Iran, he publicly criticised the growing influence of security institutions within the Iranian film industry. In a symbolic gesture of protest, he renounced his Crystal Simorgh awards — the highest symbol of cinematic recognition in Iran — from the Fajr Festival. Mazaheri publicly declared his refusal to create art under the Iranian regime, which he considered oppressive, and consequently chose to settle in France for his safety and artistic freedom.
Practical information
Friday, 28 November, starting at 5 p.m.
Free admission
Grand Amphitheatre of Villa Arson
Address: Villa Arson, 20 Av. Stephen Liegeard, 06100 Nice