“Director Naz Riahi beautifully captures a longing for intimacy and the vulnerability of being alone.” — NoBudge

Naz Riahi (she/her) is a filmmaker, writer and performer. Her work explores loneliness and outsiderness, as well as the opportunities and humor of reaching for connection, informed by her experiences as an immigrant from Iran.

She was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film. Her short film Sincerely, Erik received a Vimeo Staff Pick and won a Vimeo Best of the Year Award and was named a NoBudge Best Film of the Year. It has garnered praise from Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), The New York Times and Fast Company.

Her essays, journalism and fiction have been published in outlets such as Harper’s Bazaar, Pipe Wrench, Food & Wine, Los Angeles Review of Books, Longreads, Catapult, The Fader, Guernica and more. And, she edited Kathleen Hanna’s NYT Best Selling memoir, Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk.

Naz has performed original works at MoCA (Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles), The Broad museum, Mortified show and at Dynasty Handbag’s Weirdo Night.

She was the creator of the dialogical art project, Bitten. In recognition of Bitten, Naz was invited to SXSL at the Obama White House. An essay she wrote about the experience received public praise from President Obama.

Many of her projects, from the comedic — a photo of a phallic vegan sausage — to the political — writings on the Woman Life Freedom movement — have gone viral.

Naz holds an MFA from the New School and is the recipient of a fellowship from Yaddo. the Fondation Jan Michalski and the Edward Albee Foundation, and grants from NYFA City Artist Corps and The MAP Fund.

For (infrequent) updates sign up to the mailing list.