- How do you pitch Blood Enough in a couple of sentences?
When Rasta’s younger brother commits an accidental murder, Rasta invokes the ancient “Blood Enough” ritual to save him, only to discover the price is her younger sister.
- What was the initial seed, idea or real-world inspiration that made you write this specific story?
It all started when I came upon a Twitter movement some years ago, apparently several Iranian politicians decided to establish “Blood Enough” tradition as a peaceful intangible tradition in UNESCO.
This act started a big backlash among Iranians and forced politicians to step back.
As I had never heard of “Blood Enough” ritual, I started my own research and reading about women affected by this tradition and gradually the story took shape in my head.
- When you picture this film on screen, what mood, pace, and visual style are you aiming for? Are there any movies or filmmakers that served as a visual reference when drafting Blood Enough?
Blood Enough happens in a beautiful, rugged, timeless location. A unique lifestyle, a combination of Iranian nomad people and village life in Iran.
The communities which perform Blood Enough traditions mostly live among mountains, far away from any cities and modern government.
My vision for Blood Enough is highly inspired by authentic Iranian culture.
My camera is classic and in the service of the story and its movement is based on the emotions of the scene.
For costumes, men wear long capes with special designs on them with a shawl around their waists, women wear long dresses with bright colors and tie their scarves tightly around their faces.
For makeup, women braid their long hair around their faces and use natural materials for makeup.
Women are skillful carpet weavers and men are great shepherds for their livestock.
For tone and color, I will use Persian rugs as my color palette, beautiful bright colors like deep reds and deep blues; it’s like telling a dark story in bright colors.
For music, I will use the Tanbur, an ancient Iranian musical instrument which brings a fresh score to the film.
The raw humanity in Capharnaum, female resilience in Mustang and an unbearable burden on the shoulders of a 16-year-old because of the male decisions of her community are great comps for tone, target audience and market for Blood Enough.
- Do you plan to direct/produce this project yourself, and where are you currently at on the journey from script to actual production?
I am ready to direct Blood Enough.
The screenplay has been completed, and I am ready to start pre-production. I have prepared my dream-list for cast and crew and have an estimated budget for my film.
I am also preparing a crowdfunding campaign which will go live at the beginning of March.
I am reaching out to anyone who wants to help bring this story to life.
- What’s the estimated budget to bring the short film to life, and how is the financing coming together?
The initial estimated budget for Blood Enough is around $50k, but this number is not set and as I go further in my process, this number could vary.
Right now, I am reaching out to any funding, grant, producer and private investor to finance Blood Enough.
- What kind of creative partners or collaborators are you hoping to connect with right now to help make this short a reality (producers, co-financiers, crew)?
I would love to connect with executive producers and producers with great connections with distributors and a history of their work being selected and screened at top-tier film festivals.
Blood Enough is not simply a short film, but a jump-start for something bigger, I need collaborators on the business side and the artistic side to carry the film to its bigger destinations.
I need help from artists and collaborators who believe in the film and the story behind it.
- Aside from Blood Enough, what else are you working on, and what themes or genres do you find yourself returning to?
I am searching within myself to find my unique voice, and magical realism and Fantasy are two genres that are most interesting to me.
I am finding myself reading and watching more materials specific to that genre.
There are a couple of finished first drafts of short screenplays in live action and animation and, of course, the initial draft of my first feature screenplay.
- Where can people find, follow and support your work online?
You can check my portfolio on my IMDb. And of course, I am accessible on LinkedIn and Instagram.
You can also follow the official Blood Enough Instagram page for updates.
Saeid Ghasemi – Blood Enough (Development Award, 2nd place, 2026)
