From Friday October 31st to Sunday November 2nd, London’s multi-cultural hub, Rich Mix opens its doors to the incredible 3-day Vaak Festival 2025 spotlighting contemporary art from Persian language communities. The festival focuses on cinema, music, fashion and workshops from Iranian and Afghanistan artists and includes 3 powerful independent films, 3 concerts, 2 workshops and an exclusive fashion show running over all the festival days.
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, audiences will be able to experience a groundbreaking celebration of contemporary Persian-speaking arts, amplifying hidden and independent voices from Iran, Afghanistan, and the diaspora.
Vaak Collective spokesperson Mahoo Ashouri explains the importance of the festival:
“For us at Vaak, this festival is about amplifying voices too often silenced. By bringing together independent artists from Iran, Afghanistan, and the diaspora, we create space for creativity, connection, and resilience to flourish beyond restrictions. We believe it is vital to share the creativity of a younger generation whose image deserves to be seem in its richness and strength.”
FRIDAY 31 OCTOBER
Friday 31 Oct – Nov 02 at The Mix – Fashion, Voices In Iranian Fashion
The programme of events includes a 3-day exclusive fashion showcase curated by the Vaak Collective with designers who are redefining style outside the mainstream, featuring Fractal, Totem Design, Aan, and Bahar Studio — with a special focus this year on the Tehran fashion house Zarghovargh founded by Nazanin Fatahi and Leila Pourshaban and itsyouofficial, presented through workshops and Q&A sessions.
More info: https://richmix.org.uk/events/vaak-festival-2025-voices-in-iranian-fashion/
5.45pm – Film, In The Land of Brothers – won Sundance Film Festival Directing Award, Directed by Raha Amirfazli, Alireza Ghasemi
“In The Land of Brothers” is a film about three members of an extended Afghan family start their lives over in Iran as refugees, unaware that they face a decades-long struggle to truly feel “at home.” The story follows their resilience, hopes, and the challenges they encounter while trying to carve out a sense of belonging in a foreign land.
More info: https://richmix.org.uk/cinema/in-the-land-of-brothers/
7pm – Music Concert Bamdad Afshar & Otagh Band
Bamdad Afshar & Otagh Band is a multi-genre collective formed in Tehran in 2015. Bamdad Afshar & Otagh Band’s seamlessly blend Persian poetry, rock, and other diverse styles. Their innovative approach extends beyond traditional music-making, incorporating custom instruments, robots, and electronic devices to create a truly unique auditory experience.
More info: https://richmix.org.uk/music/vaak-festival-2025-bamdad-afshar-otagh-band/
SATURDAY 01 NOVEMBER
1pm – Workshop – Finding your Own Cinema with Ali Mosaffa
An independent filmmaking workshop with Ali Mosaffa, Recipient of Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Award for Best Film.
A very special workshop with acclaimed Iranian actor, filmmaker, and producer Ali Mosaffa. Explore how to cultivate a personal cinematic voice and navigate the world of independent and auteur filmmaking.
Mosaffa began his acting career in 1991, appearing in numerous Iranian films as well as the French film Le Passe by Asghar Farhadi. He started directing in 1998 with short films and documentaries, and released his first feature, Portrait of a Lady Far Away (2005), starring Leila Hatami and Homayoun Ershadi was shortlisted for the Sutherland Trophy at BFI London Film Festival and won the People’s Choice Award at Chicago IFF, and was nominated for the Crystal Globe at Karlovy Vary IFF. His second feature, The Last Step (2012), premiered at Karlovy Vary IFF, earning the Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) Award for Best Film and a Crystal Globe for Leila Hatami as Best Actress.
As a producer, Mosaffa has continued to support independent cinema with works including The Last Step, What’s the Time in Your World (FIPRESCI Award, Busan IFF 2014), and A Hairy Tale, acclaimed at Fajr Film Festival 2019.
This masterclass offers an intimate look at sustaining creative autonomy, telling stories on your own terms, and finding the courage to make truly personal cinema while balancing artistry, integrity, and independence.
5.30pm – Film, Woman and Child, Palme d’Or Nominee, Directed by Saeed Roustaee
“Woman and Child” directed by Saeed Roustaee, premiered in the main competition at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on 22 May 2025 and was nominated for the Palme d’Or, the film was theatrically released in Iran on 23 July 2025. It follows the story of a devoted mother’s life which unravels when tragedy strikes, forcing her to confront loss, responsibility, and the pursuit of justice.
More info: https://richmix.org.uk/cinema/woman-and-child/
7pm – Music Concert DoBaRe, debut concert at Vaak Festival
Founded by Khatereh Hakimi and Ehsan Goodarzi, DoBaRe present their debut concert at Vaak Festival. Their blend of poetry, music with personal experiences, on such as “The Poet With a Gun” and “Safarnak,” offer audiences a heartfelt and captivating musical experience.
More info: https://richmix.org.uk/music/vaak-festival-2025-dobare/
SUNDAY 02 NOVEMBER
1pm – Workshop – From Creativity to Independence – A workshop with Leila Pourshaban and Nazanin Fatahi (ZARGH O VARGH)
In this session, the creative minds behind Zargho Vargh share how they transformed personal expression into a creative career, despite the challenges of their environment. Participants will be encouraged to see how their own passions and stories can become opportunities for independence.
Together, the group will explore how creativity can open doors to self-driven work, confidence, and new ways of shaping the future. At its core, this journey is profoundly empowering. A reminder that even within limitations, creativity has the power to unlock freedom, self-driven opportunity, and lasting change.
5pm – Film, Absence, Mystical Thriller, Directed by Ali Mosaffa
The mystical thriller “Absence” directed by Ali Mosaffa explores memory, identity, and the invisible threads that bind past and present. Ali Mosaffa will present an independent film maker’s master class workshop at Rich Mix also during the festival.
More info: https://richmix.org.uk/cinema/absence/
7pm – Music Concert Mahtab Qala featuring Elaha Soroor
Closing the Vaak Festival is a very special presentation of the London-based music group Mahtab Qala. Drawing on folk melodies, wedding songs, and party tunes from across Afghanistan’s diverse regions, Mahtab Qala revives the joyful spirit of wedding halls and celebrations, taking audiences on a journey into the memory and heartbeat of Kabul. Founded by Elaha Soroor on vocals, Mahtab Qala also features Sulaiman Haqpana on tabla, and Giuliano Modarelli on guitar. The band takes its name from an area in Kabul, Afghanistan, where Elaha once lived.
In 2024, Elaha was named one of the BBC’s 100 Women for her activism and powerful anthem Naan, Kar, Azadi! (“Bread, Work, Freedom!”), affirming her role as a leading voice for Afghan women and the Hazara community.
More info: https://richmix.org.uk/music/vaak-festival-2025-mahtab-qala-feat-elaha-soroor/