Iranian-Canadian filmmaker Abdolreza Kahani, who has made Mortician (2025), will helm the upcoming film Empty Heaven. The dark comedy revolves around Canadian assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran, who lose touch with the Middle Eastern nation due to a communication collapse.
The film is set against an apparent institutional collapse where a group of agents affiliated with Iran is operating in Canada. Possessing valuable military-grade equipment, the agents are left clueless as all their channels of communication from Iran are cut off, and sanctions begin biting. The agents then decide to sell the components themselves and divide the proceeds to secure a life of comfort.
Kahani made his directorial debut with the Iranian film Travellers of Need (2002). He helmed films such as Adam, Twenty, Empty Hands, Horses Are Noble Animals, Needlessly and Causelessly, and Delighted. Mortician marked his English debut, with Empty Heaven being his English sophomore.
Speaking about the film, Kahani said he thought of making a feature as he began seeing 'signs' of the collapse of the Islamic Republic. He, however, added that he will maintain the 'darkly comic tone' in the film.
Shot across Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Ottawa, the film's star cast includes Nima Sadr, Pouya Razavi, Hamidreza Hosseini, and Hanieh Barghaei.