REEL TALK: MAZIYAR KHATAM

Welcome to Reel Talk, where we deep-dive into the minds of the industry’s finest—directors, producers, actors, writers, and all the unsung heroes on set. Each conversation gives a glimpse into their craft, passion, and the stories that drive them.

In this issue, I’m sitting down with Maziyar Khatam—an exceptional filmmaker, actor, and one of the driving forces behind Funny Bone Pictures, a Toronto-based production company.

Maz’s work is rooted in a deep fascination with observation and the absurdity hidden in life’s mundane moments. His films illuminate the everyday subjects we often overlook—things that preoccupy us to the point of obsession.

But here’s where it gets even more compelling: how men, constrained by toxic masculinity, respond to these seemingly trivial moments—and the extraordinary lengths they go to in order to avoid feeling emasculated.

This conversation delves into that journey with Maz’s most recent short, The Sweater (2024), and two of his Sundance-selected films, Baba and Bump.

And of course, Maz will share the ways in which he keeps himself evolving everyday, both as an artist and a human being.