Elsewhere Art House presents

A Drop at a Time

A film by Mazyar Mahan  ·  2025  ·  Short film  ·  7 min

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Official trailer

Synopsis

A visual meditation on endurance, environmental fragility, and the quiet power of solidarity.

In a barren, drought-stricken landscape, a woman makes the same solitary journey each day, carrying a bucket of water to the last living tree. With each step, the harshness of her surroundings contrasts with the quiet determination of her task. Her ritual is unspoken but deliberate, a gesture of care in a world that seems to have abandoned hope.

As the days pass, exhaustion begins to take its toll. The tree shows signs of life, yet the woman falters. Just when she is on the verge of surrender, another figure appears on the horizon, carrying water of their own. Then, slowly, others follow. What begins as a solitary struggle becomes a shared act of resilience.

Director’s statement

A Drop at a Time was born out of a deep sense of urgency and quiet defiance. In an era when environmental degradation feels both overwhelming and abstract, I wanted to tell a story that makes that crisis intimate and embodied. The woman in the film carries more than just water. She carries the weight of responsibility, solitude, and persistence in the face of silence.

This film draws inspiration from visual poetics, minimalist storytelling, and the stark beauty of landscapes under duress. The tree she nurtures is more than a plant. It is a symbol of care in a world that has forgotten how to tend. When a second figure appears, it is not a rescue, but a recognition: that change comes not from grand gestures, but from shared, sustained acts.

I often explore themes of survival, memory, and collective resistance. With A Drop at a Time, I wanted to make a film that speaks without dialogue, allowing the image and rhythm of action to carry meaning, slowly, persistently, a drop at a time.

— Mazyar Mahan

Stills

A woman in a dark shawl walks through shallow water carrying a bucket, under a grey sky. From A Drop at a Time (2025), directed by Mazyar Mahan.
The woman kneels in a dry, cut field with her bucket. From A Drop at a Time (2025), directed by Mazyar Mahan.
The woman stands alone at the edge of a barren field against a wide, clouded sky. From A Drop at a Time (2025), directed by Mazyar Mahan.
Close-up of a hand dipping a small bucket into a shallow puddle on wet sand. From A Drop at a Time (2025), directed by Mazyar Mahan.
The woman seen from behind, her dark curly hair blown by the wind. From A Drop at a Time (2025), directed by Mazyar Mahan.
Close-up of hands digging a hole in hard, cracked earth. From A Drop at a Time (2025), directed by Mazyar Mahan.
Close-up of the exhausted woman lying on the ground, her face pressed to the dry grass. From A Drop at a Time (2025), directed by Mazyar Mahan.
Three figures carrying buckets walk toward a young, bare sapling. From A Drop at a Time (2025), directed by Mazyar Mahan.
Several people kneel together around the sapling, pouring water at its base. From A Drop at a Time (2025), directed by Mazyar Mahan.

Credits

Writer, Director & Producer
Mazyar Mahan

With
Maryam Takalou, Diamond Nguyen, Neda Sheyda, Ahmad Khoshniat

Director of Photography & Editor
Amine Faali

Executive Producer
Lauren Speeth

Music, Sound Design & Mix
Ensieh-Leyla Maleki

Foley Artist
Mobina Latifi

Sound Assistant
Hirad Alavifard

Costume & Makeup
Neda Sheyda

Behind-the-scenes Photography
Ahmad Khoshniat

Supported by
The Elfenworks Hope for Climate and Social Justice Development Fund

Production
Elsewhere Art House

Festivals & awards

Award Winner
Dallas Movie Fest

Finalist
International Disaster Film Festival · My Name Is Climate Film Festival

Official Selection
Eugene Environmental Film Festival, Golden Bridge İstanbul Short Film Festival · World Water Film Festival · Anatolia International Film Festival · A Pecan Pickling Film Festival, Environmental Film & Screenplay Festival, Folkestone Film Festival, Luminous Frames

Honorable Mention
Tracce Cinematografiche Film Fest · Monza Film Fest

Details

Year  2025
Runtime  7 min 15 s
Genre  Short film, environmental
Country  United States
Language  No dialogue
Color  Black & white
Aspect ratio  1.90:1

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