EXT-FRIENDSHIP-NIGHT /

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EXT-FRIENDSHIP-NIGHT is a 2024 Iranian drama directed by Mehdi Ahmadpanah. Set over the course of a single night, the film follows four longtime friends as they gather before one of them leaves for mandatory military service. Years later, a reunion prompts them to revisit that final evening together, revealing how shared experiences continue to shape their lives long after they have gone their separate ways.

Built around intimate performances and understated storytelling, the film explores the quiet shifts that occur within relationships over time. Following its festival run, EXT – Friendship – Night received several international recognitions, including the Best Indie Film award at the Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente de Madrid (FICIMAD) in 2026.

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I play Ali K, one of the film’s four central characters and an essential presence within the group of friends at the heart of the story.

Ali is warmhearted, energetic, and instinctive. He often acts before fully thinking through the consequences, and that impulsiveness frequently places him in unexpected situations. What interested me most about him is that his actions never come from bad intentions or selfishness. They come from a genuine emotional immediacy. Beneath his playful exterior is someone who cares deeply about the people around him and seeks connection even when he struggles to express it clearly.

Recently accepted into university in Kashan, Ali now lives away from home in a dormitory. He returns to Tehran for one night to celebrate his close friend Mohammadreza’s birthday before Mohammadreza leaves for mandatory military service. During the evening, Ali also finds himself facing unresolved tension in his relationship with Fafa, a situation that challenges his spontaneous and instinctive way of dealing with emotions.

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