Sundance 2020: Sonia K. Hadad
Sonia K. Hadad is an Iranian writer and director. In 2010, she completed her bachelor’s in theatre and dramatic literature from Azad University in Tehran. She studied film and media arts (MFA) at Emerson College, Boston (2010–2017). She moved to the U.S. in 2013 to continue her education and began making short films, producing for the film industry and also editing TV series and shorts. Here she talks to us on how she took funding her film into her own hands due to the restraints in Tehran and how she feels Sundance is working to decrease the male director domination.
How did you find your way into film making?
I was born in Iran, where I also completed my Bachelor's in Dramatic Literature and Theatre, and I continued writing short stories for local magazines while doing my Bachelor's. Then I did my Master of Fine Arts in Film and Media Arts at Emerson College in Boston, and at the same time, I started working as an editor and production crew for a TV show at WGBH television channel in Boston. I made my first short film, The Box, in 2014, which released in 2016. My second film, Personal, was my master's thesis project, which made in 2016 and released in 2017. My third short Exam was premiered at TIFF2019 and has received international awards and nominations from the festivals in North America, Europe, and North Africa. Some of the Exam awards: American Film Institute's grand jury award for the best short film, so we got qualified for Oscar 2021, El-Gouna Film Festival's Best Short Film Award, Zinebi Film Festival's Mikeldi Award, Whistler Film Festival's EDA Award for the best short film director, Afrodite Film Festival's Best Short Film Award and Tehran Short Film Festival's Best Screenplay Award.
Tell us about your film?
My movie Exam is a truth-based crime drama and its story is about a teenage girl (protagonist) who reluctantly agrees to her father request to deliver a packet of cocaine on the day of an important exam, and a series of unforeseen events that threaten to derail the transaction and jeopardize her future at school. I shot the movie and did all its post-production process in 2019 in Tehran.
How did you take the news of being accepted into the festival?
I heard the news from my film distributor company (SomeShorts). Wouter Jansen contacted me and let me know about the acceptance. And the the festival crew contacted me and send me the acceptance letter.
Funding in this industry can always be a challenge, how did you achieve yours?
The process of funding for shorts in Tehran is even much more difficult and complicated than funding the features! This time I preferred to invest my movie from my savings and to get help from my family as the funding process is just a waste of time, especially when you want to work as an independent filmmaker and you do not have any connection with the related film organizations
What was the most challenging aspect of making your film and how did you overcome this?
The Biggest Challenge for me was the process of working on the story's plot and the screenplay, developing characters, and the last and most importantly: to make sure if the story/ script is genuinely appealing to me.
If you could have gone into any other role in the industry, which would you be interested in?
If I could not be able to become a writer and director, I liked to work professionally as a producer or art director!
The percentage of female directors at Sundance has increased again this year, a great move for the industry, which female film makers do you look up to?
I am glad to see the growth of female filmmakers and also their participation. I believe the increase of women's involvement in different sections of film projects, the cinema industry, and specifically at Sundance film festival can decrease the male-domination. I like all these wonderful women and great directors, I want to follow all their works, and I love to see all successful!
What’s the next project for you?
These days I am working on my next short film to shoot it in two months and writing the plot of my feature, which I have a plan to work on this feature film project next year. Both projects will shoot in Iran.
And finally, what film are you most looking forward to seeing in 2020?
I have heard a lot about the movie Never Rarely Sometimes Always, directed by Eliza Hittman. Its synopsis looks exciting, and I am curious to watch it at Sundance.
You can follow Sonia on social media via @Sonia_K_Hadad on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. And view her IMDB page here.
Exam will be screening in the Shorts 1 Program. For more information on this years line up at Sundance Film Festival 2020 visit their website here.
