Based on “Rostam and Sohrab” from Shahnameh by Ferdowsi, S. Ghahari, the producer, and Dreamor studios take you onto a journey of culture and history full of adventures, surprises and twists.

S. Ghahari

Script writer, producer and director.

Born in Tehran, S. Ghahari now lives in London. He holds an MSc in Advanced Computing from Kings College, University of London. From an early age, he was introduced to forms, shapes and colours by his father Ostaad A. Ghahari, an eminent sculptor in Iran. S. Ghahari owes his cultural and literature knowledge and understandings to his mother Banno Mahin Motesharei. As an Iranian who believes Persian culture is one of the richest and most cherished in the world, S. Ghahari is constantly trying to fulfil his ambition to promote and encourage the cultural values and beliefs through the medium of art.

Using the latest technologies of computer animation and cinematography, motion capture for natural and stylized human and horse movements, over 140 artists, technicians, engineers and computer animators have been involved in making of this film for more than 3 years, amounting to a total of over 520.000 hours of exciting work, to make this 50 minutes of animated feature film.

Mr Ghahari explains:

The production of this film has taken over 3 and a half years full time, Saturdays and Sundays, days and nights… even in my sleep and dreams… I have tried, with my best intention, to promote and renounce our glorious culture, our great and magnificent history which has given birth to real life heroes like Ferdowsi, Attar, Molana and Hafez and so many others who have made and are making our culture

In making of this film, our new generations raised or born outside of Iran, were in our focus as they are surrounded with other histories and cultures, and no or a few references to our own which surely is one of the purest, richest, maturest and most beautiful cultures, home to the first and greatest empire ever made on the earth…

I am sure by now you can realize that I have decided to also show a little of our magnificent history in this film, such as designing the palace of Kavoos modelled from “Persepolis”, and also the White fortress Deje Sepid modelled from Arg-e Bam to give the audience a sense of a connectedness to the actuality and make the film more than a fairytale epic.

Because of this reason, our own three coloured flag has also been used instead of the flags described in “Rostam and Sohrab’s story in Shahnameh. This way, every Persian can feel the connection between the film and our roots, as the three colour flag is our flag for over 2000 years, and deeply rooted in our souls… Persians, even if born out side of Iran, can still recognize the three colour flag as Iranian, and can feel a deeply rooted, embedded connection and love with it.

it has been a roller coaster of ups and downs, excitements, challenges, pitfalls, problems and mistakes as well as achievements and learning … and finally, against all odds and purely with the grace of God, I came out of the haft Khan with the film completed in my hand… I learned while I was making this film, which is also reflected in the script, that we can all be Rostams, if we want to be…

I did all I could within this time, with my limited resources and limited 3 dimensional mind, with all the normal problems and challenges facing all of us in our daily lives, to make this film worthy of our culture… I hope you, as a part of our society, as some one who is living in this era, find this film also worthy of our culture, and do our share of enriching and passing it to our next generation.. just like it has grown and reached us so beautifully, generations by generations…

The tale

Click to see War teaser.

An unwanted war between a father and his never-met son under evil influences which keeps their identity secret until an inevitable death.

The legendary Rostam, Iran’s bravest general and hero, who is a descendent of the kings, and whose father was brought up by a prophetical bird Simorgh. Rostam’s mission in life is to support the Persian Empire (Iranshahr) and to protect the righteous paths of good against evil.

In one of his adventures he travels to Samangan, a neighbouring country. King of Samangan, honoured by his visit, invites him to stay in his palace overnight.

Tahmineh, the beautiful princess of Samangan who was deeply in love with Rostam, takes this opportunity to express her love to Rostam, asks him to marry her, and stays in Samangan with the hope of him becoming the king of Samangan in the future. Rostam, sworn to his people, can not accept Tahmineh’s offer to stay… Tahmineh in love with his bravery and wisdom is prepared to be married to Rostam even if apart, with the hope that god gives her a son like him.

Soon after Rostam returns to Iran, Afrasiab, the vicious king of Tooran, forces the king of Samangan to join him in war against Iran. The old king of Samangan who can not withstand Afrasiab’s evil forces surrenders. Meanwhile Tahmineh gives birth to Sohrab, a beautiful boy who from the very beginning, shows the extraordinary strength inherited from his father: strong, brave, and forgiving like his ancestors.

The long wars between Tooran and Iran keep Rostam involved in constant battles leaving him unable to meet his wife and newborn son. Sohrab, now in his early youth, strong and powerful and brave like no other man in his land, finally finds out from his mother Thmineh, that he is the son of Rostam.

Upon discovering the truth and determined to meet his father, he begins to gather an army to accompany him to the land of Persia. Afrasiab also finding out about Sohrab’s identity, makes a vicious plan, and sends a huge army with his strongest general, Hooman. Hooman’s other secret mission is to mislead Sohrab by not letting him find out who his father is so that the father and son might get involved in a battle, a battle that no matter who dies, is to the advantage of Afrasiab.

Sohrab, unaware of this evil plan, marches his army to Iran. At the first post in the border of Samangan and Iran, the army under the leadership of Hooman attacks White Fortress, the Iranian stronghold on the border. News of the attack flies to the Persepolis, the centre of Persia via Peyk, the messenger eagle.

Rostam, leading Iranian forces, hurries to the border…