Grandpa was born from a real journey the director took with his own father, and was inspired by Latin American magical realism. The film explores a long-held fascination with death, memory, and the possibility that the dead are never entirely gone. Though written with a touch of fantasy, the film’s production was grounded in very real challenges. Shot during golden hour in a remote, unfamiliar town, the crew worked through cold weather and cramped living conditions to capture the eerie atmosphere the story demanded. It was the director’s first serious film, and a formative experience in trusting both vision and instinct.
The film won Best Short Film at the Shiraz Short Film Festival the same year it was completed.