Iranian-born Bahram Heidari spent most of his life in the West and has a degree in philosophy along with studies in film and culture. Presently, he divides his time between his residence in Vancouver and Iran. He is widely experienced in producing and writing projects that explore themes which showcase the richness of the Middle East and other cultures. He founded Imagika Film Productions (www.makeamovie.ca) in 2004 to showcase the richness of stories and thought of the Middle East as well as promote a mutual understanding and appreciation between the Muslim world and the West.
He produced and directed 4 episodes of town hall dialogue between Christians, Jews, and Muslims called “Children of Abraham.” He also produced 32 episodes on Sufism (“Sufism the Heart of Islam”), and he created 5 episodes of a show called “Diary of a Muslim” which aired on the Canadian channel Vision TV. All episodes emphasized the peaceful connection among the three major Abrahamic religions and brought leaders of the three faiths together in constructive dialogue and lively discussion.
This line of thinking led to Bahram meeting Omar Amanat (forming Reel Knights Film Productions – www.reelknightsfilmproductions.com) and Sean Stone who also shares the view that a wealth of potential is there for developing cinema that tackled themes of misguided assumptions and opened the doors to talents in the Muslim countries. Bahram demonstrated that there is a market for Middle Eastern stories internationally and wrote and co-produced “Battle of the Kings: Rostam and Sohrab” in an Iranian-Canadian partnership in 2010 between Imagika Film Productions and Aria Industry of Animation (www.ariaco.net). This animation will be released soon and distributed in Europe.
As such, Bahram is in the unique position of liaising between the Middle East and the West and is active in promoting peaceful relations between them. About 4 years ago, Bahram proposed a House of Friendship between Iran and the US to the Iranian government, using the old American embassy as the base of Americans in Iran, so we can achieve dialogue and peace between the two countries. He invited many Americans to Iran, such as Sean Stone, Scott T. J. Frank, Paxton Winters, Mellissa Carter, Barry Greene, Adam Shams, Senator Mike and Whitney Gravel, and many more. This is the first time that many Americans had entered Iran since 1979 for the first time. In many TV interviews in Iran, Bahram and Sean Stone have openly protested against the slogan “Down with America.” He believes that dispelling stereotypes is a two-way affair and as a Sufi mystic, advises Muslims to denounce violence and work toward understanding the West through film and art.
Showing the mystical side of Islam, he also proposed and wrote a feature film based on the life of Rumi, the Persian mystic, titled “Rumi & The Perfect Man.” Bahram is also negotiating a film about Ashura, an Islamic historical event, that happened about 1300 years ago. The Muslim Shi’a investors around the world are looking to invest a large amount to produce this international film in Hollywood with Bahram as a producer.
Other current projects include a film by Michelle Nicholson about the Shah of Iran, possibly starring Ben Kingsley. Bahram has managed to get a license to make this film in Iran which is usually very difficult for Americans to get.
As for projects in Iran, he acted and co-produced an Iranian film called “Resident of the Log House” in 2011. Bahram also he acted as a car mechanic and mentor in an international film called “Laleh” (starting 2012 and still in progress).
Bahram’s passion for historical epics also led him to write a novel called “Legends of Timelessness” which is the famous 12th century Japanese tale of the great General Minamoto Yoshitsune and his beloved Shizuka. It is a story of love, tragedy and mysticism published by Trafford Publishing in Victoria..