EXCLUSIVE: Paradigm and Rain Management Group have signed Kourosh Ahari, the Iranian-American director of IFC Midnight’s The Night.
Ahari also co-wrote and produced the psychological-thriller through his LA-based production banner Mammoth Pictures, along with his producing partner, Alex Bretow.
Ahari’s feature directorial debut The Night, which is currently on release in the U.S., stars Shahab Hosseini (The Salesman) and Niousha Jafarian (Here And Now).
The Persian-language film follows an exhausted married couple, Babak (Hosseini), Neda (Jafarian) and their baby who take shelter in the grand, but eerie Hotel Normandie after a night out with friends. Throughout a seemingly endless night, mysterious disturbances ruin their night’s rest as the couple soon realize they’re locked-in with a malevolent force that hungers for the dark secrets they’ve kept from one another.
According to the film’s producers, the film recently became the first U.S.-produced film to get a wide theatrical release in Iran since the Revolution in the country more than 40 years ago.
It was recently announced that Ahari is attached to write and direct a biopic of Iranian physicist Ali Javan, which will reteam him with feted actor Hosseini who has previously won the Cannes Best Actor prize and the Berlin Silver Bear for Best Actor.
Prior to his breakthrough with The Night, Ahari made short films Malaise, Generations (backed by Tom Hanks) and The Yellow Wallpaper, based on the short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
Mammoth Pictures recently tapped Alexis Bronte as Head of Development.
Ahari is also represented by McKuin Frankel Whitehead.