Director: Tina Pakravan
Cast: Parviz Parastui, Mahnaz Afshar, Zhubin Rahbar
LosAnjeles Tehran is a 2018 Iranian adventure-comedy film directed by Tina Pakravan, following two Iranian-American men whose separate journeys back to Tehran unexpectedly collide, setting off a series of comedic misadventures rooted in the clash between diaspora life and the homeland they half-remember.
What is LosAnjeles Tehran about?
An Iranian expatriate flies to Tehran to spend time with his aging grandmother, while a second man makes the same trip under the guise of brokering art deals. The two strangers discover they have been assigned neighboring accommodations in the same building. What begins as polite inconvenience quickly grows into something louder: misunderstandings pile up, personalities clash, and the rhythms of modern-day Tehran keep surprising both of them. As each man pursues his own private agenda — one seeking family warmth, the other chasing profit — the city itself seems to have other plans for them both.
Cast & crew
The film stars Parviz Parastui, one of Iranian cinema's most beloved and versatile leading actors, known for bringing humanity to both dramatic and comedic roles across decades of acclaimed work. Mahnaz Afshar, a prominent figure in Iranian film and television, appears alongside him, and Zhubin Rahbar rounds out the principal cast. All three are directed by Tina Pakravan.
Context & significance
Comedy films that place Iranian diaspora characters inside present-day Tehran occupy a special niche for Persian-speaking audiences abroad. The Los Angeles–Tehran axis has long been a cultural shorthand for the divide between the Iranian community in Southern California and the homeland many left behind — or were born apart from. This film uses that geography as comic and emotional fuel: the expectations travelers carry, the Tehran that greets them, and the inevitable gap between imagination and reality. For diaspora viewers, that recognition is both funny and poignant, making films like this a reliable draw at family gatherings and community screenings.
Where & how to watch
LosAnjeles Tehran is available on K-Time with original Persian audio. No VPN is needed, and there is no extra download required — watch on the web, on your TV, or on your phone. Cancel anytime.