PILGRIMS tells the tale of two kids who decide to leave their village without informing their father, in search of their mother who lives in Istanbul. Last time they visited her, they were both way too young to remember her whereabouts in detail. Upon their arrival, they find themselves lost, neither with enough money to return, nor with the guts to call their father.

Iranian filmmaker Farnoosh Samadi’s first short film THE SILENCE (2016, co-directed with Ali Asgari) had its world premiere in competition at Cannes Film Festival in 2016. Her second short, GAZE (2017), had its world premiere in competition at Locarno Film Festival in 2017. Samadi’s short films have screened at numerous film festivals and have won many international awards. She is the co-writer of MORE THAN TWO HOURS (2013, in competition at Cannes), THE BABY (2014, in competition at Venice Film Festival) and feature film DISAPPEARANCE (2017, Venice and TIFF). Her first feature film,180 DEGREE RULE (2020) is a part of the Toronto Film festival in 2020. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Samadi graduated from Fine Art Academy in Rome.

Ali Asgari was born in Iran and graduated with a film degree in Italy. Two of his short films MORE THAN TWO HOURS (2013) and THE SILENCE (2016, co-directed with Farnoosh Samadi) were candidates of the Short Film Competition at Festival De Cannes. His short film THE BABY (2014) was in competition at Venice Film Festival. Asgari’s short films were screened in more than 700 film festivals and have won more than 200 international awards. DISAPPEARANCE (2017) was his first feature film, developed at Cinefondation La Residence of Festival De Cannes, and had its world and North American premiere in Venice Film Festival and Toronto Film Festival. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and an alumnus of Berlinale Talent Campus 2013 and Locarno Summer Academy 2016.