Dr. Katya Abedian-Rawháni is a filmmaker, photographer, and producer devoted to weaving cinematic and poetic narratives that honour human culture, ancestral stories, and the unyielding resilience of people and place. Deeply influenced by her Iranian heritage, Katya’s work draws from rich traditions of storytelling, poetry, and collective memory to reflect the interconnectedness of land, lineage, and lived experience.

Katya’s directorial debut, a short film titled Skin Diver, premiered in Cape Town in 2018, and has since been screened in Joburg, Barcelona, Paris, Cannes, Czech Republic and Ghana. Skin Diver was awarded Best South African Student Film at the Jozi Film Festival 2018.

She has since gone on to direct music videos for Mi Casa and Moonchild Sanelly. Katya produced the South African segment of the global campaign for Nike x Patta titled “Each One, Teach One”in 2022.

Katya is currently working as a medical doctor in the public hospitals and clinics of Cape Town, Western Cape and is affiliated with Giant Films in South Africa.