
All films in this program are closed-captioned.
Roya, recently reunited with former lover Nuisha, returns to the Los Angeles suburbs, adjusting to life after their mother’s death. Seeking connection, they visit an all-women’s yoga studio, a space filled with openly queer and trans individuals. For Roya, the studio is both a revelation and a challenge, its liberating energy clashes with their conservative upbringing in an Iranian Jewish family. Tension escalates when they clash with Arta, a trans man, but sparks fly between them, leading to an unexpected connection. As Roya navigates their evolving feelings for both Nuisha and Arta, they’re forced to confront the tension between their family’s expectations and their own desires. Eden is a heartfelt exploration of embracing one’s true identity, even when it means breaking free from the past.
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Rustin Zam-Zam Madadi (he/they) is a multidisciplinary storyteller and filmmaker born in Shiraz, Iran, dedicated to preserving the cultural and linguistic heritage of the transgender Iranian diaspora. Their work spans fiction and non-fiction across film, theater, and radio, with a strong emphasis on cultural preservation through sound.
Rustin’s theatrical debut, Mitra’s Suitcase, received the Los Angeles Mayor’s Recognition Award and their plays have been staged at the Frida Kahlo Theater, Wayward Artist Theater, Chance Theater, and the Broadwater in Los Angeles. They have also contributed thought-provoking essays to The Nation, Los Angeles Times and other national publications.
Their acclaimed radio documentaries, Battle After Combat was broadcast nationally on public radio and earned a Third Wave nomination. Rustin also serves his community as a yoga teacher, assembling Middle Eastern–themed yoga pop-ups across Los Angeles.
An alumni of master classes with renowned filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, Rustin brings a nuanced, global perspective to their practice. They have a growing interest in genre storytelling as a vessel for cultural critique and queer world-building. Their next film, Kill Kylie (a campy lesbian horror flick) is slated to debut in 2026.
- Year2024
- Runtime10:31
- LanguageFarsi
- CountryUnited States
- PremiereWest Coast
- GenreShort
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- Social Media
- DirectorRustin Zam-Zam Madadi
- ScreenwriterRustin Zam-Zam Madadi
- ProducerYifan Zhao
- CastRiley Vojdani, Sherlock Divansalar, Ilar Parsa, Sarah Chang Tadayon, Fariba Skobin
- CinematographerAymae Sulick
- EditorElika Rezaee
- Production DesignAbby Guerra
- ComposerMaryam Mirbagheri (Maryama)
- Sound DesignDaniel Guerra, Korey Grate
- MusicMaryam Mirbagheri (Maryama), Manaar Azreik

All films in this program are closed-captioned.
Roya, recently reunited with former lover Nuisha, returns to the Los Angeles suburbs, adjusting to life after their mother’s death. Seeking connection, they visit an all-women’s yoga studio, a space filled with openly queer and trans individuals. For Roya, the studio is both a revelation and a challenge, its liberating energy clashes with their conservative upbringing in an Iranian Jewish family. Tension escalates when they clash with Arta, a trans man, but sparks fly between them, leading to an unexpected connection. As Roya navigates their evolving feelings for both Nuisha and Arta, they’re forced to confront the tension between their family’s expectations and their own desires. Eden is a heartfelt exploration of embracing one’s true identity, even when it means breaking free from the past.
-----
Rustin Zam-Zam Madadi (he/they) is a multidisciplinary storyteller and filmmaker born in Shiraz, Iran, dedicated to preserving the cultural and linguistic heritage of the transgender Iranian diaspora. Their work spans fiction and non-fiction across film, theater, and radio, with a strong emphasis on cultural preservation through sound.
Rustin’s theatrical debut, Mitra’s Suitcase, received the Los Angeles Mayor’s Recognition Award and their plays have been staged at the Frida Kahlo Theater, Wayward Artist Theater, Chance Theater, and the Broadwater in Los Angeles. They have also contributed thought-provoking essays to The Nation, Los Angeles Times and other national publications.
Their acclaimed radio documentaries, Battle After Combat was broadcast nationally on public radio and earned a Third Wave nomination. Rustin also serves his community as a yoga teacher, assembling Middle Eastern–themed yoga pop-ups across Los Angeles.
An alumni of master classes with renowned filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, Rustin brings a nuanced, global perspective to their practice. They have a growing interest in genre storytelling as a vessel for cultural critique and queer world-building. Their next film, Kill Kylie (a campy lesbian horror flick) is slated to debut in 2026.
- Year2024
- Runtime10:31
- LanguageFarsi
- CountryUnited States
- PremiereWest Coast
- GenreShort
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- Social Media
- DirectorRustin Zam-Zam Madadi
- ScreenwriterRustin Zam-Zam Madadi
- ProducerYifan Zhao
- CastRiley Vojdani, Sherlock Divansalar, Ilar Parsa, Sarah Chang Tadayon, Fariba Skobin
- CinematographerAymae Sulick
- EditorElika Rezaee
- Production DesignAbby Guerra
- ComposerMaryam Mirbagheri (Maryama)
- Sound DesignDaniel Guerra, Korey Grate
- MusicMaryam Mirbagheri (Maryama), Manaar Azreik