Javad Daraei is an award-winning filmmaker, exploring the reality of life in Iran for people whose rights are systematically denied and who suffer under a regime with strict social norms, including LGBTQ and queer people, people with disabilities, women, and more. His films try to bring clarity and empathy to the plights of everyday people and seek to raise visibility of their realities. He believes that filmmakers should produce the best film at the lowest cost and learn all the parts of filmmaking professionally. Currently resident in the United States.