MASCOT
MASCOT is a live action short that explores themes of tokenism, racism, political polarization and media propaganda through the relationship of two BIPOC roommates, who each get co-opted – one by the Republican Party, the other by the Democratic Party.
the gist
MASCOT is 'Black Mirror-sque', "Jordan Peeleian" political art, with a punch. It explores how politicians commoditize People of Colour as distractions from their draconian neoliberal and exploitative policies that, in part, curb the progress of the very same marginalized groups that the two protagonists identify with and cherish.
Comps: Kafka’s Metamorphosis, Us, Animal Farm, 1984, Two Distant Strangers, Sorry To Bother You, Get Out, Twilight Zone, Black Mirror, Brand New Cheery Flavour.
Length/Genre: 15 mins/absurdist dramedy with a horror touch.
Status: currently securing funding.
ISO: looking to build an artist-family around this piece in all types of roles. Scroll down to fill out the application form.
about the showrunner
Maziar Ghaderi is an award-winning director, writer, producer, multimedia artist, and educator that works in film, multimedia and interactive technology currently residing in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With a background in media production, Maziar strives to articulate his social commentary through metaphors, epiphanies and critiques that speak to the zeitgeist of our times.
Maziar Ghaderi (b. 1983, Tehran)
Maziar's work has been curated across North America, Europe, West Asia and recognized by the MIT Media Lab, Columbia University, CBC Docs POV, The Creator's Project, Deadline, VICE, Toronto Media Arts Centre, Blast Theory, The Globe & Mail, CBC Radio, Toronto Life, The Georgia Straight, Newsweek, The Washington Times, Russia Today, The Irish Times, National Review, WIRED and SIGGRAPH. He has also presented at Buddies In Bad Times Theatre, Tokyo International Short Film Festival, New York Tri-State International Film Festival, Toronto Independent Film Festival of Cift, Toronto Wearables, Tashkeel Dubai Art Center, Subtle Technologies, Brooklyn's Film Noir Cinema, Gladstone Hotel, The Gardiner Museum, SummerWorks Festival, HarbourFront Centre's HATCH festival, Sumahan Istanbul Art, The Fridge Dubai, Nuit Blanche, Ontario Centre of Excellence and has co-authored several academic articles for design conferences and think tanks.
He was also the media producer for Marina Abramovic at the 2013 Luminato Festival's MAI Prototype, and has directed and produced his original work, Dissolving Self for the International Symposium on Electronic Art 2014 (ISEA) held in Dubai.
An avid grant writer and strategic arts producer, Maziar has raised more than $133,000 for his art and film projects in 2021 alone in the very highly competitive funding pools of scripted, factual and new media art.
The very first feature film that he produced went on to clinch the #1 spot on iTunes upon its debut in 2019 and was broadcast on CBC and distributed by one of the largest and most successful distribution companies, Gravitas Ventures to rave reviews.
Maziar has also teaches story structure, media production and conceptual development at fine art institutions such as OCAD University, China Academy of Art and X University and holds a Diploma in Marketing Management, a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from McGill University, a Bachelors in Media Studies and a Masters in Design (Digital Futures stream).
In past lives, Maziar has filmed obscure shorts in Vancouver, cut limes in Montreal, sold phrasal verbs in Brazil and wore cotton diapers in Tehran. He speaks English, Brazilian-Portuguese, Spanish and Persian.
concept art, promotional poster