Premiered at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2010 

Nominated for Best Short Scottish Documentary​

This film is dedicated to the protesters in Iran during the 2009 disputed elections. I was deeply moved by all that was happening in Iran, but also frustrated that I could not go and show my support, as my visa to Iran was refused. I decided to turn that frustration into making this film, shot over one weekend out of my flat window in Edinburgh, and using found footage from film shoots I had done in Iran. I had read on line about a girl who had gone missing in the demonstration in Tehran, whose body was later found dumped on the side of the road. I was so upset that this could happen and I used it as a starting point for writing the story of ASHURA but imagining it was an Iranian woman who had a life outside Iran and a scottish fiance, and who had got caught up and involved in the demonstrations while home visiting family. I was also keen to use emails as a type of visual poetry on the images, and to let the sound and music be the voice of the film. The film was premiered at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2010 and nominated for Best Short Scottish Documentary, it was selected for London International Documentary Festival 2011 and Sheffield Doc Fest 2011

"This film is dedicated to the protesters in Iran during the 2009 disputed elections. I  was deeply moved by all that was happening in Iran, but also frustrated that I could not go and show my support, as my visa to Iran was refused. I decided to turn that frustration into making this film, shot over one weekend out of my flat window in Edinburgh, and using found footage from film shoots I had done in Iran. I had read on line about a girl who had gone missing in the demonstration in Tehran, whose body was later found dumped on the side of the road. I was so upset that this could happen and I used it as a starting point for writing the story of ASHURA but imagining it was an Iranian woman who had a life outside Iran and a scottish fiance, and who had got caught up and involved in the demonstrations while home visiting family. I was also keen to use emails as a type of visual poetry on the images, and to let the sound and music be the voice of the film."

Ashura was also as selected for London International Documentary Festival 2011 and Sheffield Doc Fest 2011

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