Shelter: A Short Film by Mohsen Hossaini

Mohsen Hossaini is an animator, director, and painter whose powerful work is inspired by his hometown, Kabul. His art draws from his own experiences, critiquing war, traditional religion, and power, and focusing on the alienation of an individual in modern society. Hossaini says the following about his work:

Three elements were effective in shaping my artistic personality: First, homelessness, a man without a country. Second, the bullet that gets fired from a gun. Third, [the] streets of Kabul. I find arts to verse my perception of life. Art has climax and troughs, but no ending. Life is about experiencing every day, and for me, it is recreating these experiences from [my] imagination.

Hossaini holds a bachelors degreee in film and television directing from College of Iran Television. He has worked for various television stations including Hewad TV, SABA TV and Afghanistan Radio & Television.

Hossaini’s short film, Shelter (2006), was the winner of the Kabul Short Film Festival in 2007. It has been screened at the Hiroshima Animation Film Festival, the NAAF Film Festival in Bosnia, and the Leipzig Film Festival. His other short films include Perfume (2009), Hitler (2009) and Solitude (2002). His artwork has also been featured in exhibitions internationally.

In 2015, Hossaini joined ICORN and arrived in Drøbak City of Refuge, where he continues his work.