Shahab is a writer and director based in the Netherlands. He was born in southern Iran, where he studied philosophy, and later studied Audiovisual Media at HKU University of the Arts Utrecht, specialising in directing and screenwriting.

Alongside his own short films he works as a freelance director on commercials, educational and promotional films and music videos, often shooting and editing the work himself.

→ Latest films / awards

Recent films: ‘Turtles’ (2026), ‘Waging War Against God’ (2025), selected for the Debut Competition at the Netherlands Film Festival and supported by the Netherlands Film Fund, ‘Needles’ (2024) and ‘Lost Fathers’ (2023), winner of the HKU Award for best graduation project.

Education

• BA Audiovisual Media, HKU University of the Arts Utrecht, 2019–2023
• Foundation year Media, HKU, 2018–2019
• Philosophy, Iran, 2012–2013

Languages

• Dutch, English, Arabic, Persian