Hello? Mom?!

"Hello? Mom?!" is a drama film that follows Farzad, a young immigrant in his mid-twenties who rebels against his mothers advice while struggling to make it in America without legal documents. Farzad is confronted with a multitude of obstacles stemming from his unstable living conditions and financial hardships. His circumstances are further complicated by exposure to a new culture, drugs, and legal entanglements. To survive, he must confront the harsh reality of his situation and make difficult decisions. In the end, he must decide whether to stay and face the consequences or leave everything behind and start anew.

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my twenties were filled with constant financial struggles, and most days I was just trying to survive.

I made Hello? Mom?! My first short film back in 2013. After taking some time off to get my finances in order, I decided to go back to school full-time with a clear goal in mind: to study film. One of the required classes was a cinema course at Palomar College in California. Although a bit unsure of myself in an academic environment, my passion for movies and the craft of film making overshadowed any apprehension.

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But it wasn't until the end of the semester that I truly put my newfound skills to the test. Our extra credit assignment was to make a short film-I knew I had to go all out. I rented lenses and a boom mic, gathered all the materials I needed for each scene, and spent over two weeks filming. I was so into the process that my other classes seemed to fade into the background. I was determined to create something special and prove to myself and those around me that I could make a short film worth watching. I'm happy to say that all the hard work paid off in the end!

The best thing I ever did was deciding to go back to school just so I can pursue my passion for filmmaking

When it premiered, my teacher told me I had a future in film. I don't really know how much she knew about the business back then to give me that kind of hope, but oh man, that pumped me up for that whole summer. Looking back on that first film project, I realize that it was a turning point for me. It was the moment when I proved to myself that I could make movies, even if my path wasn't going to be the most traditional.

You see, my twenties were filled with constant financial struggles, and most days I was just trying to survive. The best thing I ever did was deciding to go back to school just so I can pursue my passion for filmmaking. It’s amazing to think that an extra credit assignment in a cinema class could give me the confidence to believe in myself & to keep pushing forward.

Cheers!

Shahrooz

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