Poetry, especially traditional Iranian poetry, is very good at looking at things from a number of different angles simultaneously.

Each person makes their own choice, but my spirit is meant to stay in Iran, especially with the work that I do, and with the emotional connection I have with the country - with all its difficulties, this is why I stay.

Poetry, especially traditional Iranian poetry, is very good at looking at things from a number of different angles simultaneously.

The bigger confrontation is the one an individual has with itself.

I'm always careful about the thing I'm writing to make sure a viewer can imagine it happening to themselves.

I tend to jot down moments, lines, interactions that don't really make any sense. I try and explain these scattered notes to my close friends, and they become more and more logical. I see screenwriting as a bit like a math equation which I have to solve.

The fact is I'm not making a film in order to draw pictures or make images about Iran.