Oscar Qualifying Cinema Amir Zargara on Vital at HollyShorts Film Festival

What lengths will a parent go to when pushed to the absolute limit? In this episode of She's All Over the Place , host Katie Chonacas sits down with award-winning Iranian-Canadian writer and director Amir Zargara . We dive deep into his incredible new short film, Vital , which made its highly anticipated screening on opening night at the HollyShorts Film Festival as part of its BAFTA and Oscar qualification campaign. Winner of the prestigious Stage 32 Short Film Contest, Vital weaves a gripping parallel narrative between two different worlds. In Tehran, a single mother faces the agonizing decision to sell her own organs to save her ailing daughter. Meanwhile, in the United States, an Iranian-American physician navigates dangerous, shadowy ethical boundaries to protect his own child. Amir discusses the intricate logistics of filming across borders, his mission to build deep empathy without judgment, and what it takes to launch a successful Academy Award consideration campaign. Follow us on IG - Oh, and we have a new Substack :)