Like Friend, Like Deer

Interview with director Malek Eghbali

1. What was one of the most challenging moments you faced while making this film? Did this ‘setback’ change the direction of the final story?

One of the biggest challenges was redesigning the main character. Near the end of the animation process, I realised that the character needed to change from a human into an animal. This decision set the production back by more than eight months, but it ultimately made the story and its visual language stronger.

2. What was the biggest inspiration behind your short film?

The biggest inspiration behind the film came from the execution of an Iranian wildlife ranger, Ali Afzali, in 2019 after he killed an illegal hunter. This real-life event made me think deeply about the relationship between humans, wildlife, and justice, and became the starting point for my film.

3. Let’s say you had to make this film all over again. Knowing what you know now, is there one thing you’d do differently? And if there’s nothing you’d change, what have you learnt since finishing the film that you didn’t know on day one?

If I could go back in time with the experience I have today, I probably wouldn’t make an animation at all. I would simply paint. The process was extremely long, difficult, and at times painful, but it taught me a great deal about myself and about the creative process.

4. At its core, can you tell us what Like Friend, Like Deer is about, and what do you hope audiences will discover when they come to see the film?

At its core, the film is about the relationship between humans, animals, and nature. I hope the audience will think more deeply about this relationship, the similarities between humans and nature, and the connections between the branching patterns of trees and the paths we take or create in our lives.