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‘A Good Day Will Come’ Writer-Director Amir Zargara On Bringing A Tragic Hero’s Story To Life In Oscar-Qualifying Short Film

Iranian-Canadian filmmaker Amir Zargara talks to Deadline about his loosely biographical story about an Iranian wrestler wrongfully executed in 2020

Then on a cold evening night coming back from the gym, I had this song playing by Hichkas, who’s known as the father of rap in Iran, who I’ve been listening to since middle school. I needed an actor who could act, who spoke Farsi, who ideally lived outside of Iran, who was OK with essentially not being able to go back and had the physique of a wrestler—because I don’t have enough money to pay him to get in shape [laughs]. Sia also helped because in the morning [of the shoot], there was supposed to be a shot of the crowd’s reaction after what he does, but then he was like, “I don’t think that’s needed.” And then I agreed with him on the day, and I was like, “Yep, let’s cut that.” And then, originally, there was a lot more dialogue.

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