Doha Film Institute
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Matters of the Mind – Short Films Programme (15+)
Embark on explorative tales of self-discovery and resilience—these acclaimed shorts reveal the nuances of identity and our collective journey toward true understanding.
Bader Short Film Programme 2
A tragic accident in a mine forces Eesa to choose between telling the truth about his role in a fellow worker's death or concealing it to become a hero.
Two miners, Eesa and Mokhtar, clash underground, leading to an accident that leaves Mokhtar dead. As Eesa helps others escape, guilt weighs heavily on him. Mokhtar’s oxygen tank, damaged during their fight, was empty, leaving him to suffocate. Eesa now faces a harrowing decision—remain silent and be hailed as a hero or confess his involvement and be branded a killer. This short film explores themes of guilt, truth, and the moral consequences of one's actions.

Credits

Director
Saman Lotfian
Screenwriter
Saman Lotfian
Producer
Seyed Maziar Hashemi
Executive Producer
Milad Molazadeh
Editor
Esmaeil Alizadeh
Sound
Zohre Ali Akbari
Mixing
Saeed Zand
Music
Mojtaba Saharkhiz
Set Designer
Hojjat Ashtari
Assistant Director
Mehdi Ganji
Cast
Sajad Afsharian, Nasrollah Radesh, Mehdi Miami, Mah Monir Bitari, Mohammadreza Oraman

About the Director

Saman Lotfian
Saman Lotfian is an Iranian cinematographer and director, best known for his work on the award-winning documentaries ‘Atlan’ and ‘Concrete Man,’ as well as the feature films ‘Drown’ and ‘When the Moon Was Full.’ ‘Coal’ marks his directorial debut in short films, winning the Grand Audience Award at the Clermont-Ferrand Festival. With a background in cinematography, Lotfian’s visual storytelling cre