Omid Iranikhah is an Iranian-American writer/director whose work explores the complexities of the Iranian diaspora experience. A recipient of the Michael Collyer Memorial Fellowship in Screenwriting and a semifinalist for the Academy Nicholl Fellowships, his storytelling blends humor, intimacy, and cultural specificity to create narratives that resonate beyond their immediate communities. He recently earned his MFA in Film Production from Chapman University and is currently developing his first feature as a director while continuing to write another.
Please List the Title of Your Film at BIFF 2026
FARSI WITH MAMAN
What was your first experience with film and how did it influence your first project?
When I was four, my dad brought home a bootleg copy of Sam Raimi’s SPIDER-MAN, and from the moment the end credits rolled, I turned to my parents and declared, “I want to be Spider-Man when I grow up.” Much to my disappointment, they explained he was just a character played by an actor. Much to their disappointment, I decided then and there I wanted to be an actor. What I didn’t realize at the time was that SPIDER-MAN had sparked a lifelong love for cinema—the magic of a medium that could make me believe a superhero was real.
Who are your favorite Filmmakers?
Right now, I find myself thinking most about Robert Altman. His films feel alive—full of messiness, contradiction, and the quiet moments between people. His work reminds me that those small, in-between moments often carry the most truth, and that authenticity comes from letting life unfold rather than trying to control it.
What are you working on that no one knows about?
I’m currently developing my first feature as a director, which I’m really excited about but keeping under wraps for now—though I’d happily talk about it with anyone who finds me at the festival. I’m also in the middle of writing another feature.
Who would play you in a movie? What’s your go to movie snack? What’s the film title that best describes your life?
Play me in a movie: Tilda Swinton—she can play anyone.
Go-to movie snack: Popcorn and Diet Coke. I’m a classic man.
Film title that best describes my life: LOST IN TRANSLATION.
