The dinner party can be a stressful time for the host, with many potential pitfalls to navigate to avoid derailing what should be an enjoyable gathering. For Najibeh, the perfectionist mother at the centre of Neda Jebelli’s bustling short film, she not only has to concern herself with attending to her guests, she also has to contend with family secrets and the political unrest raging outside her door. There’s certainly more than poorly prepared dishes threatening to disrupt this evening.

“I wanted to examine it through an oft-overlooked lens: the domestic feminine space”

A story based around the writer/director’s personal experiences of being a teenager in Tehran during the 2009 Green Revolution, with The Dinner Party Jebelli sets out to create a short that captured the “gulf between image and reality” in the media coverage of these events. However, while the filmmaker knew she wanted to base her narrative during these tumultuous times, she also recognised it needed to offer a new perspective. As she explains:

With these aims in mind, Jebelli’s vision manifests in a short film of profound depth, functioning not only as a domestic drama but also as a poignant political commentary. It’s a clever piece of writing from the Columbia University alumni, as the family dynamics prove a relatable and accessible introduction to this important moment in Iranian history. But beyond showcasing Jebelli’s writing talents, the film also serves as showcase for her directing talents.

The first time the director had actually shot a film in her homeland, Jebelli credits her “creative partner”, producer Reza Baastani, as a vital collaborator in the success of the short, stating that film “would not have been made” without him. For the director, her main focus was on location and actors. Following a lot of searching, they were able to secure the “perfect kitchen in an older neighborhood in Tehran” and so Jebelli was able to concentrate on working with her large cast.

With every character an “essential part of the story”, rehearsals were key and Jebelli worked with her actors both individually and in groups to secure the best performances from her cast. “It made us all feel like a cohesive, supportive family”, she reveals. Adding that “there was a fantastic collaborative energy on set that helped us push through the long hours and night shoots”.

Although each individual character serves a purpose in advancing the narrative, the focus of the piece is undoubtedly Najibeh and Jebelli worked with her cinematographer, Amirhossein Khosbin, to help make this clear through the photography. “I wanted the camera to really mimic her state of mind”, the directors states, explaining that they began the film with “longer takes” and “fluid dolly shots”, to show the mother in control. Before transitioning to “more frenetic and handheld” camerawork, as her power starts to slip.

Looking at Jebelli’s credits, The Dinner Party stands as an impressive piece for a filmmaker making their directorial debut. However, a glance at her writing credits – S/W picks Verde, Manila is Full of Men named Boy & Night Swim – and the strength of this short begins to make perfect sense. This is obviously a director with a firm grasp of storytelling, who is using this as a foundation for the rest of her filmmaking career.

Now working on the post-production of her next short, The Volunteer, while also developing a feature version of The Dinner Party, Jebelli is also currently in the NBC TV Writers Program, where she is working on “a new comedy pilot under the mentorship of two NBC and UTV executives”.