Film & Documentaries
Stage Productions
SHA MER ZAA ENTERTAINMENT
Founded in 2004 by Ali Kiani in Los Angeles, Sha Mer Zaa Entertainment is an
independent production company dedicated to creating captivating and socially
relevant narratives for film, stage, and literature. With a strong focus on diversity,
inclusion, and storytelling that transcends borders, the company believes that the
most potent stories resonate deeply with global audiences. Sha Mer Zaa
Entertainment explores subjects that bridge cultures, amplify diverse voices, and
reflect the human experience in all its complexity.
AWARDS
PUBLICATIONS
The Evolution of Theatre and Drama in the Middle East
Cultural expressions of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have a rich tradition, communal narratives, and spiritual connectivity. This tapestry, distinct from the secular drama prevalent in Western cultures, is a unique blend of indigenous traditions and Western influences. This book introduces the rich and diverse theatrical practices developed and matured in the region from the nineteenth to twenty-first centuries.
An Anthology of
non-Western Drama
This anthology contains seven plays from India, China, Japan, Iran, Nigeria, Turkey, and Egypt; and they are placed into chronological periods - from ancient to modern times. This volume, drawn from a wide variety of forms and genres, demonstrates the richness and the diversity of both the traditional and modern non-Western theaters – from Sanskrit drama to contemporary African theater. For each country, there is a brief background of theater history that illustrates how cultural, religious, and political influences shaped the non-Western dramas.
UPCOMING ANTHOLOGIES
Around the Globe in Seven Acts
Tales from the East
This collection of seven plays spans centuries, from Sidewalk Gurus (13th-century India) to The Showtime Alley (21st-century Syria). Despite diverse settings, characters, and beliefs, these works incorporate indigenous dramatic elements that have shaped the cultural landscapes of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Drawing on traditions such as A Thousand and One Nights, The Book of Kings, and Japanese theater, they reflect deep-rooted artistic and cultural legacies. Exploring themes such as arranged marriages, women's rights, tribal wars, the caste system, religious hypocrisy, family ties, and Western influence, these plays demonstrate the ongoing relevance of traditional narratives in modern society.
Since the 19th century, non-Western theater forms have declined as Western-style drama has risen, yet their richness continues to inspire contemporary theater. These traditions are preserved and performed alongside modern works, weaving a cultural tapestry that connects past and present. Their legacy shapes global theater and ensures a vibrant, diverse dramatic heritage. Tales from the East preserves and reimagines indigenous theatrical traditions from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, demonstrating their ongoing relevance to social, cultural, and political issues.
Around the Globe in Seven Acts
Tales from the West
Tales from the West, set in Germany, France, Mexico, Canada, and the United States, offers a nuanced portrait of life in Western societies. The anthology examines how immigrants, families, seekers, dreamers, and survivors navigate cultural heritage, personal identity, and societal expectations as they strive to establish or redefine their sense of belonging. Works such as Apostasy and The Diary of Elena Luna depict individuals seeking better circumstances, whose aspirations are tested by the gap between ambition and reality. A Mindful Season takes a more introspective approach, exploring the Tucker family's interactions with Tibetan exchange student Karma Dolma and the subtle tensions among tradition, spirituality, and contemporary life. Family and kinship are central to The Subject Was Armand and From Hollywood to Solitude, in which characters engage in self-discovery as they confront questions of belonging and autonomy.
The anthology also addresses broader societal concerns. The Boon House Inn examines socioeconomic inequality, while The Singers, Not the Songs depicts the challenges artists face in seeking recognition in an unresponsive society. A Holistic Road Show offers a critical perspective on the commercialization of wellness, distinguishing authentic personal development from prevailing consumer trends. Together, these plays illuminate the complexity of everyday life and show how individual narratives shape, challenge, and enrich contemporary Western society.
Around the Globe in Seven Acts
Tales from the Canon
Tales from the Canon revisits foundational works and dramatic traditions, reinterpreting them through contemporary lenses to explore enduring questions of morality, truth, and human responsibility. Each play connects past traditions to present concerns, reflecting on the Canon, the body of works that shapes cultural memory, and showing how timeless stories continue to challenge our understanding of the human experience.
The collection opens with Noor's Allegory of the Cave, a reinterpretation of Plato's exploration of truth and illusion. With Me or Against Me examines loyalty and moral compromise. Everyman Revisited reimagines the medieval morality play to explore mortality and accountability. Waiting for Mephisto blends Beckettian absurdism with the Faustian myth, placing characters in situations of desire and uncertainty. After the Fifth Act, Shakespeare's ghosts reflect on their roles within their narratives. Return of the Shadows draws on Turkish shadow and puppet theater. A Mindful Season closes the collection, focusing on renewal and self-awareness.
Together, these seven plays honor and reinvent the Canon, illuminating how ancient myths, philosophy, and performance traditions have shaped cultural memory and artistic expression, and how their echoes continue to resonate powerfully in the modern world.
Around the Globe in Seven Acts
Tales from the Mythmakers
This collection brings together myth, philosophy, spirituality, and ancient performance traditions. Each of the seven plays centers on a key figure — Gilgamesh, Thespis, Socrates, Ovid, Rumi, Joan of Arc, and Izumo no Okuni — and explores the origins of storytelling, moral challenges, and the enduring impact of art and belief.
Each play offers a new take on a key moment where myth meets history. The Walls of Uruk examines the themes of greatness and mortality in the Epic of Gilgamesh. The Man Who Stepped Out shows how Thespis helped create theatre. From Gadfly to Hemlock explores Socrates' moral stand before his death. The Shaper of Gods and Monsters highlights Ovid's creative power. The last three plays focus on devotion and sacrifice. In Search of the Beloved follows Rumi's spiritual journey. The Maid and the Flame tells of Joan of Arc's martyrdom. The Dry Riverbed highlights Izumo no Okuni's influence on Japanese theatre.
Collectively, these seven plays illustrate how diverse cultures have shaped their identities through stories and rituals, and how ancient mythmakers continue to help us understand modern life.