An award winning indie-film, The Neighbor (Hamsayeh) centers on Shirin, a middle-aged dance instructor who has just ended a long-distance affair. Her lonely routine is disrupted when a young woman, Leila, moves in next door. Intrigued by her comings and goings and their common Iranian roots, Shirin tries to befriend her, soon discovering that Leila has a little girl she often leaves home alone for hours on end. In need of a friend, Leila accepts Shirin's help with the child. Shirin and the precocious five year old, Parisa, bond over dance classes and their shared time together. One night, Leila doesn't come home. As Shirin anxiously tries to find her neighbor, she realizes she has to come to terms with her own unsettled past.
2011
Venice Biennale, In Competition: Premio Citta di Venezia
NYC Premiere at Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
Winner Best Feature Narrative: 21st Festival of African, Latin American and Asian Films in Milan, Italy
Winner Best Canadian Film ReelWorld Film Festival, Toronto
Women's International Film Festival, Chennai, India
Women's Film Festival, Vancouver, BC
Women's Film Festival, Miami, Florida
Women's Film Festival, Brattleboro, Vermont
2010
In Competition:
World Premiere Montreal World Film Festival
Vancouver International Film Festival
Chicago International Film Festival
Sao Paolo International Film Festival
Winner, Best Actress (Parisa Wahedi) Los Angeles International Film Festival