During my interview with filmmaker Ashley Tabatabi discussing his short film ‘Hamdardi’, the US elections were hot in contention. For the first time it looked highly likely Donald Trump would be back in the White House. The instigator of the infamous Travel Ban, was going to be President again, which would see the return of that ban. Just as we predicted it happened but at the time there was hope that maybe Iran would miss this by an inch.
The story of ‘Hamdardi’ centres on the travel ban and its heartbreaking impact on families inspired by Ashley’s own experience. Events in the film unfold through the eyes of American immigration officer (played by Ashley) enforcing the first Trump ordered ban. The film pulls no punches in depicting the despair it caused families, and its non discriminatory harm against children and adults alike. Where it takes a left turn is the reflection of an unjust system through the eyes of someone who is a part of it. This resonance brought on by the officer’s own bitterness at the larger system.
At the time ‘Hamdadi’ had qualified to contend for an Oscar nomination in the Best Live Action Short category. Ashley and I reflected on our shared Persian heritage before sitting down to discuss his calling as a storyteller, and the very personal and political issues of the film.
Cine Bijou: I must admit many of us hoped, that chapter of history – the travel ban – was well behind us. Now it looks like it’s making a return.
Ashley Tabatabai: I was just saying the same thing to someone earlier. When I started shooting the film, I had a feeling it might come back into the conversation. Sadly, these things have a way of resurfacing.
Cine Bijou: Very true. Let’s dive in. Tell us a bit about yourself—your background, where you’re from, and how you found your way into filmmaking.
Ashley Tabatabai: I’m half Iranian, my dad was from Iran, though I don’t speak Farsi, apart from the odd bad word. It was useful to understand what my father was saying to me. My mum’s English and German, and I grew up in Spain, going to an international school. That’s where the North American-ish accent comes from—education rather than any real connection to the US or Canada.
I got into acting and filmmaking around 15 or 16, just messing around in high school. I never saw it as a serious career—more like a fun elective. But I really enjoyed it, especially when classmates, who can be the harshest critics, responded well. I stepped away from it in college, but in my final year something was missing, so I returned to acting—and eventually filmmaking. That was about ten years ago.
I’m an actor, but I realized I had stories I wanted to tell. I grew tired of waiting around for the phone to ring for the right opportunity so I decided to start making my own films. Hamdardi is the second “bigger” short I’ve done. I’ve made a few smaller ones to keep learning and experimenting.
From Actor to Filmmaker: A Calling
Cine Bijou: Interesting that acting led you to storytelling. How did you reconcile being part of someone else’s story with wanting to tell your own?
Ashley Tabatabai: It’s that nature-versus-nurture thing. I probably always had the instinct, but I wasn’t fully aware of it. In high school, I wrote scripts for others to perform—just for fun. Later, as a working actor, I was getting auditions and occasional jobs, but even when I booked something, I felt like just a cog in a machine. The creative process is so much bigger than hitting your marks and saying your lines.
Around that time, I had a coach—Bonnie Gillespie—who really helped me tap into that storytelling side. She suggested I try making a scene or a small short film to showcase what I could do. That lit a fire. Once I started creating my own material, I felt more alive creatively, and I also gained a deeper appreciation for the whole process of filmmaking.
Cine Bijou: What types of stories draw you in to what to make a film of them?
Ashley Tabatabai: My stories so far are inspired by topical, sometimes lesser-known real-world events. They encompass themes of family, power dynamics, and the surrender of control to systems that ultimately dictate our lives. There’s often a familial element—parents and children feature a lot—and a questioning of authority or convention. I explore how characters are forced to either comply or challenge the status quo.
Finding The Voice
Cine Bijou: Let’s talk about your earlier work. Recorded Surveillance—your first short—seems to fit with that theme. What did you learn from making it?
Ashley Tabatabai: That one was more of a micro-short, almost a practice run. I didn’t go to film school, so for me it was very much a learn-as-you-go experience. Television shows like 24—a socio political thriller about people stuck in a system inspired the story. It was a two-hander really just to see if I could pull it off. This was more a personal challenge, but I really pushed the boundaries when it came to Falsified. That’s where I started telling more layered, emotional stories.
Cine Bijou: Did writing become a significant challenge in that transition?
Ashley Tabatabai: Definitely. Writing is always the hardest part—just sitting down and doing it. The discipline of revising, killing your darlings, and knowing when something is finished is a constant battle. But once you have something that makes sense and resonates, it’s incredibly rewarding.
Cine Bijou: Falsified is about the stolen baby scandal in Spain, correct? Tell us more.
Ashley Tabatabai: Yes, it’s based on something that happened in Spain, where I grew up. I assumed everyone knew about it, but turns out, not many did. During Franco’s regime, babies were taken from political opponents then given to families aligned with his party. Over time, it evolved into a profit scheme where Doctors told mothers their babies had died, but they’d actually been sold. The film is a story about a man in his 60s who believes he’s found his lost son It’s about what that means for both parties—the father who never gave up searching, and the man who’s just learning the truth.
Exploring the Travel Ban in Hamdardi
Cine Bijou: Hamdardi is your latest short, inspired by the travel ban. You co-directed it with Stefan Fairclough. Tell me about that collaboration.
Ashley Tabatabai: We met years ago on a student film where I was acting. We’ve worked together ever since. He has a background in editing, and that’s been invaluable. When I started directing, I knew I needed someone who could complement my focus on performance with technical expertise. We’ve built a shorthand over the years, and he knows exactly how to execute a vision both on set and in post.
Cine Bijou: The story of Hamdardi hits very close to home for you, doesn’t it?
Ashley Tabatabai: It does. I’m half Iranian, and my cousin in Tehran wasn’t allowed to visit her father in San Francisco when he fell ill during the travel ban. He died without her getting to say goodbye. She couldn’t even attend the funeral. That sense of being denied basic human experiences—grieving, saying farewell—was heartbreaking. That was the seed of the story. As I researched, I found so many families in similar situations. It wasn’t just my family’s story—it was a shared one.
Cine Bijou: The story is told from Ethan’s perspective, a border officer. Why that angle?
Ashley Tabatabai: In a 26-minute short, I wanted an arc. Ethan starts out blinkered—just trying to get his daughter back from Child Services. But by the end, he’s forced to confront the human consequences of the policies he enforces. It’s about shedding labels. He realizes that these kids could just as easily be his. I wanted to explore how people justify their actions under the guise of “just doing their job,” and what it takes to break free from that mindset.
Trust the System
Cine Bijou: There’s a powerful moment where Hank, Ethan’s colleague, says, “Trust the system.” That hits hard.
Ashley Tabatabai: That line was very intentional. It reflects an older mindset, someone who’s from another era and believes in the system without question. It becomes the moment that pushes Ethan to finally challenge what he’s been complicit in.
Cine Bijou: And Hank—played by Mitchell Mullen—embodies that casual bigotry in a very believable way.
Ashley Tabatabai: Absolutely. That line about “Arabic?” when Reza says he speaks Farsi—that came from my dad’s real-life experience. And you said you had something similar, which just shows how common that ignorance is. I didn’t want Hank to be a cartoon villain. He’s human. Maybe ignorant, maybe wired a certain way, but not evil. That subtlety was crucial.
Heading to Oscar Glory
Cine Bijou: The film’s Oscar-qualifying. How’s it been received so far?
Ashley Tabatabai: Really positively. It’s a long short—just over 26 minutes—but most viewers say it doesn’t feel long. That’s the best compliment. The claustrophobic filming style was intentional—it mirrors how trapped the characters feel. And audiences seem to want more at the end, which is great. A few festivals passed on it due to the runtime, which I totally understand, but the ones that took it in appreciated the story.
Cine Bijou: Does the Oscar possibility add pressure?
Ashley Tabatabai: Not really pressure—more of a responsibility. It’s a great platform, and I want to use it to get the film in front of more people. The real joy is getting to have these conversations and reach new audiences.
What did you think of our interview with Ashley? Did you agree with some of his points? Have you seen Hamdardi? What did you think of it? Let us know your thoughts on this, and any other topics related to Iranian filmmakers, cinema and the travel ban as a subject matter for film in the comments or on social media. You can find us on Bluesky, Threads, and Instagram!