Dreamers (The Story of Amir)

The story of Amir who left Afghanistan for the UK, after Kabul fall three years ago.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Empty Space Productions, Shorts4Change.

"The Dreamers" tells the stories of individuals who dare to journey in pursuit of a utopia.

Dreamers (The Kite Runner)

This episode is the story of Sanjar, a storyteller and a master kite-maker based in Southern England.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Empty Space Productions, Shorts4Change.

"The Dreamers" is the story of individuals who dare to journey in pursuit of a utopia.

Dreamers (Fearless)

Juanita Rea has dedicated her life to confronting sexual harassment in childhood through artistic expression.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Empty Space Productions, Shorts4Change.

"The Dreamers" tells the stories of individuals who dare to journey in pursuit of a utopia.

Taste of Home (The Walk of Miguel Angel)

Miguel Angel, an Italo-Argentinian architect in Tuscany, prepares a traditional Argentinian dish. A plate that symbolizes his long quest for identity and home.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Empty Space Productions, Shorts4Change.

"Taste of Home" is documentary series that aims to explore the cultures of various immigrant communities through cooking.

Taste of Home (Born in Summer)

Raffaela was born in World War II, during a period known as “Four Days of Naples”, when unarmed citizens bravely stood up to the German army. She prepares a traditional dish, paying homage to her childhood in Naples.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Empty Space Productions, Shorts4Change.

"Taste of Home" is documentary series that aims to explore the cultures of various immigrant communities through cooking.

Taste of Home (Mama Termini)

Francesco, an Italian filmmaker, together with other volunteers, provides a hot meal every Sunday to homeless and immigrants living on the streets near Rome’s Termini station. A hot dish recalling home for those who have not one.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Empty Space Productions, Shorts4Change.

"Taste of Home" is documentary series that aims to explore the cultures of various immigrant communities through cooking.

Only Sound Remains (Part one: Parvaneh Farid)

Only Sound Remains highlights two Iranian women’s unwavering strength through art and media.

Episode one features Parvaneh Farid, an artist whose work explores identity despite facing societal and personal challenges.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Empty Space Productions, Shorts4Change.

Only Sound Remains (Part two: Homa Ehsan)

Only Sound Remains highlights two women’s unwavering strength through art and media.

Episode two features Homa Ehsan, the first female figure and the very first female reporter in Iranian TV.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Empty Space Productions, Shorts4Change.

Wounds (Part one: Matt Fisher)

War in Afghanistan left lots with scars. A visible reminder of a time now undone. This is the story of Matt Fisher, a British soldier wounded in Afghanistan in 2009.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Empty Space Productions, Shorts4Change.

Wounds (Part two: Nasir Kaker)

The story of Nasir Kaker, who lost his leg during Taliban’s first period of dominance.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Empty Space Productions, Shorts4Change.

Our Story is One

A documentary on Bahai community in countryside of Barcelona in Spain.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

Utopia - Barcelona

A documentary on the lives of individuals who embark on journeys of immigration in pursuit of their own vision of utopia and have ended up in Barcelona.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

The First Day

A short documentary on the significance of equinoxes and solstices. The film demystifies these astronomical expressions that are the main references to ancient Persian celebration.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media,

Composer: Hossein Hadisi,

with collaboration of: Royal Observatory Greenwich.

Everlasting

Shahin Bekhradnia is dedicated to preserve ancient Persian, Zoroastrian traditions of her migrant parents in her remote Oxford village home.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

Open Wound (part one)

A 3-episode series studying the use of rape and sexual harassment as a weapon during war conflicts, focusing on the recent cases of rape and harassment reported during Woman, Life, Freedom protests in Iran.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media,

with collaboration of: Amnesty International and Mukwege Foundation.

Open Wound (part two)

A 3-episode series studying the use of rape and sexual harassment as a weapon during war conflicts, focusing on the recent cases of rape and harassment reported during Woman, Life, Freedom protests in Iran.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media,

with collaboration of: Amnesty International and Mukwege Foundation.

Open Wound (part three)

A 3-episode series studying the use of rape and sexual harassment as a weapon during war conflicts, focusing on the recent cases of rape and harassment reported during Woman, Life, Freedom protests in Iran.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media,

with collaboration of: Amnesty International and Mukwege Foundation.

In the blink of an Eye (part one)

In a Blink of an Eye is a two-part short documentary series that looks into systematic blinding of protesters during the recent uprising in Iran.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media,

with collaboration of: Amnesty International.

In the blink of an Eye (part two)

In a Blink of an Eye is a two-part short documentary series that looks into systematic blinding of protesters during the recent uprising in Iran.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media,

with collaboration of: Amnesty International.

Mythology and Revolution

A documentary that aims to explore why in public opinion, the revolutionary figures resonate with mythological ones and whether these ancient archetypes shape and inspire social movements.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

The Fist

The story of "Rachel Bower" a former UK national boxing champion who works also as a police officer in London. She is now concentrated on coaching and encouraging women who more than anything else need to rebuild their self-confidence.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

Three Pairs of Eyes

The story of three female Afghans, each belonging to a separate generation: Rahele is a middle-aged woman who recalls the first period of Taliban dominance; Marwa in her twenties, does not recall this oppressed past but was a witness to Taliban gaining power in 2022 and the third is a young girl, living in London and detached from this very social, political context.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

One of Us: Hassan Khan

This is the story of Hassan Khan, a cricket player in England impaired national team.

Born in a small village in countryside of Multan in Pakistan, Hassan lost his sight when was only three. While he had no clear future in sight, his parents moved to London and this very city changed Hassan’s life forever.

One of Us is a series of social portraits. Personal, inspirational stories narrated by the protagonists themselves.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

One of Us: Robin Smith

Robin Smith designs and makes bespoke coffins for a company called “Crazy Coffins” in Nottingham, England. The company’s main aim is to make the experience of loss as painless as possible; likewise, Robin’s moto in life is that no obstacle can suppress the creativity and nothing, not even death is that tragic.

One of Us is a series of social portraits. Personal, inspirational stories narrated by the protagonists themselves.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

One of Us: Chandni Sony

When Chandni Sony lost her sight completely, she had only thirteen years old. Today she lives and works in London independently, relying on technologies and benefits of the modern life. Despite lack of the vision, her profession and social activities are acts merely dependent on sight. Chandni believes that for any problem, no matter how big it is, there is a solution.

One of Us is a series of social portraits. Personal, inspirational stories narrated by the protagonists themselves.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

One of Us: Richard Moore

Richard Moore had the idea of leaving his profession as an opera singer, long before Covid outbreak. The pandemics merely confirmed that decision. Moreover, Brexit posed an ending to the liberty of movement which was crucial for lots of workers in performing arts who were freelancers and previously could work in any European country. Today, Richard works as a physiotherapist assistant in NHS in London.

One of Us is a series of social portraits. Personal, inspirational stories narrated by the protagonists themselves.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

One of Us: Shabnam Dawran

Shabnam Dawran is an Afghan TV anchor who went to her usual work a day after Taliban took over in 2021. The Taliban, being fundamentalistic, initially claimed that the women in the country would be provided rights adhering to Islamic law. They also said that women will be allowed to go to work and access education. However, that morning, Shabnam was sent back home. Ever since, concerns regarding women’s rights in Afghanistan have been raised all over the world.

Shabnam now lives in London and is still active in women rights.

One of Us is a series of social portraits. Personal, inspirational stories narrated by the protagonists themselves.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

One of Us: Etienne Clément

Etienne Clément, a French artist based in London, defines himself a story-smith. The ingredients for his narratives are both fact and fiction.

He who was working as an architecture photographer in the past is now concentrated on creating miniature locations and characters. His miniature structures could fall into the category of architectural model making, was it not for the narrative background that Etienne creates for each of these settings.

Etienne’s moto for life is “we live in the world as we imagine it”.

One of Us is a series of social portraits. Personal, inspirational stories narrated by the protagonists themselves.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

Someone Like Me

Someone Like Me is the name of a project during which a breast cancer patient is put in contact with a someone who has completed the treatment process. This is made possible by Breast Cancer Now charity which is the biggest name in supporting breast cancer patients and survivors.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

Matera Traveller

The itinerary of numerous travellers passed through Matera in southern Italy. One of these adventurers is Antonio Giannuzzi who left Matera for Iran during Qajar dynasty and sent the very first documented photographs of Iran back to Europe. The film documents the story of his journey together with other travellers and migrants, in specific, a young architecture student, Pegah Moshirpour who took Giannuzzi’s path on the opposite direction and left Iran for Matera in Southern Italy.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

The film was nominated as best documentary in Art and Culture in The AIBs (International Awards for Journalism) in 2020 in London.

It was also in official selection of Lift-Off Filmmaker Sessions Volume 4 (2022), was a semi-finalist in Festival del Cinema di Cefalù in Palermo (2022), Sicily and was awarded as Honourable mention in Women's International Film Festival Nigeria WIFFEN (2022).

Abandoned Basilicata

One of the biggest southern regions of Italy, Basilicata is gradually becoming depopulated. The film spots light on various reasons for this mass movement of south Italians to north of the country and north Europe. Though lots of cities are left deserted, there are still people who decide to remain. Donatello is one of them; he ushers us into most deserted parts of the region.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

Homayoun Story

The story of a young Iranian, abandoned in Serbia against his will.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Produced by: Volant Media.

The film was included in official selection of The Madavera Expojour JazzTimes Film Festival in New York (2020)

Dance with Death

A documentary on the intimate relationship of Neapolitans with death.

Regardless of the constant peril of an active volcano that has erupted more than thirty times in the past, Neapolitans are still living in their beloved city.

They humanize death, they continue to have conversation with the dead; demystifying and as almost all the characters of the film declare "exorcizing" death through music.

Director and editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Composers: Davide Della Monica (La Mescla), Alessandra D'Eugenio,

Performer: Sonia Totaro,

Produced by: Volant Media.

The film was selected and screened in various film festivals, including: Fiorenzo Serra Film Festival in Sardegna (2019), The Madavera Expojour JazzTimes Film Festival in New York (2020), Lift-Off Filmmaker Sessions Volume 4 (2019) and intimalente/intimatelens film festival in Caserta, Italy (2019).

Just Like in a Mirror

Naple`s in south Italy is a city that exploring it can’t be limited to sightseeing. What makes Naples unique is its inhabitants. During the film, four Neapolitans narrate their interpretation of this city, imagining it with a human face.

Producer, Director and Editor: Maryam Raz,

Director of Photography: Salvatore Esposito,

Composers: Davide Della Monica (La Mescla), Alessandra D'Eugenio,

Performer: Sonia Totaro,

Produced by: Volant Media.

The film was selcted for The Madavera Expojour JazzTimes Film Festival in New York (2020), intimalente/intimatelens film festival in Caserta )2019), FIORENZO SERRA FILM FESTIVAL in Sassari, Sardegna (2019) and Lift-Off Filmmaker Sessions Volume 4 )2019).