Director:  Aida Daneshvar, Christopher Dreisbach

Film: The Shadows of Paper Trees

Bio: The Shadows of Paper Trees is an experimental short film odyssey that illustrates, interprets, and illuminates verses from “Panjereh” (Window) by the late, legendary Iranian poet Forough Farrokhzad (as read by Forough Saramolki). Sometimes referred to as the Persian Sylvia Plath, Farrokhzad often explores female desire, identity, cultural critique, and political commentary in her poems.

Time-collapsed images of nature from the filmmakers’ home window and the surrounding Northern Vermont environs collide with reverie-soaked tableaus. Featuring an immersive sound design by Owen Granich-Young, atmospheric score & cinematography by Christopher Dreisbach, and a new translation of the poem by the film’s co-director, Aida Daneshvar.

Aida Daneshvar was born in Tehran, Iran during the Iran/Iraq war. She was primarily raised in Los Angeles and spent her early childhood in New York City. She’s a multidisciplinary artist with a BFA in Photography from the Academy of Art in San Francisco.

Christopher Dreisbach is a filmmaker, musician, and visual artist raised in Vermont. He received his MFA from the American Film Institute Conservatory.