"Bitterbrush, the assured debut by Emelie Mahdavian... becomes more than a portrait of against-the-elements fortitude; it poses piercing existential questions about purpose and independence, particularly for women choosing work that has long been deemed the exclusive province of men." -The Hollywood Reporter

Planet A - Director, Producer, Cinematographer

Documentary

Feature, currently in edit

Planet A joins seven scientists-six women and one man - as they make a final journey to the ice shelf of Thwaites, commonly referred to as the "Doomsday Glacier." Made with the support of: Sundance Sandbox Development Fund, Tangled Bank Studios, Catapult Film Fund, UFO Family Residency, and the National Science Foundation/British Antarctic Survey.

Bitterbrush - Director, Producer, Editor

Magnolia Pictures/Hulu (North America); Met Film (Worldwide)

Telluride Film Festival 2021; MoMA Doc Fortnight 2022; Special Jury Prize, Visions du Réel; New York Times Critic's Pick

Bitterbrush follows Hollyn Patterson and Colie Moline, range riders who are spending their last summer herding cattle in remote Idaho. Totally off the grid with only their dogs as companions, Hollyn and Colie brave inclement weather and perilous work conditions while pondering their futures. A portrait of friendship, life transitions, and the work of two skilled young women in the isolated and beautiful landscape of the American West, Bitterbrush is an intimate portrait of a way of life rarely seen on film. Made with the support of Catapult Film Fund, with Concordia Studio & Wavelength.

Movement (WT) - Director, Producer, Editor

Feature, currently in late production

Alonzo King and the LINES Ballet dancers return to the dance studio as the pandemic continues to hold performing artists in a state of precarity. King, who William Forsythe called “one of the few, true Ballet Masters of our times,” is also the son of prominent civil rights activists. Movement is a portrait of collaboration, transformation, and the creative process of one of the visionary voices of our time. Made with the support of: Facet, University of Utah Faculty Research Grant, Yaddo Artist Residency

Midnight Traveler - Producer, Writer, Editor

Oscilloscope (N. America), Dogwood (UK/Ireland), Marie Dulac (France), Party Film Sales (International inquiries)

Special Jury Prize, Sundance Film Festival 2019; Berlin IFF 2019; Emmy & Peabody Awards; Gotham & British Documentary Award nominations.

When the Taliban puts a bounty on Afghan director Hassan Fazili’s head, he is forced to flee with his wife and two young daughters. Capturing their uncertain journey, Midnight Traveler shows firsthand the dangers facing refugees seeking asylum and the love shared between a family on the run.

After the Curtain - Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor

Dance on Camera at Lincoln Center; San Luis Obispo IFF

Four female dancers weigh their love of art against economic hardship, loneliness, and social reproach in this intimate portrait, which also celebrates the rich dance and music culture of a Central Asian country largely unknown in the West.

Dance Film & Performance

Emelie is also a musician and dancer, and enjoys experimenting at the intersections of film and performance. She was previously Assistant Director and Principal Dancer with Ballet Afsaneh, and a company member of Wan-Chao Dance, among others.