“A Six-Year Quest Across Iran’s Vast Wilderness to Capture the Last Asiatic Cheetahs”

Tanhavash is an emotionally charged documentary that takes audiences into the heart of a desperate mission: to track down and document the rarest of Iran’s treasures, the Asiatic Cheetah, known as the “Iranian Cheetah.” This extraordinary subspecies, now found only in Iran, hovers on the brink of extinction, with fewer than 100 believed to survive. While its African cousin roams savannas elsewhere, the Asiatic Cheetah has vanished from every other landscape, making Iran its final refuge and last hope.

The journey began in 2009, as a team led by the Conservation of the Asiatic Cheetah Project (CACP), Iranian Cheetah Society (ICS), and Plan for Land Society set out to find signs of these majestic cats in Iran’s vast Kavir National Park. However, despite deploying dozens of trail cameras, only a single male cheetah appeared on film—a heartbreaking revelation for those fighting to keep the species alive.

Driven by a deep passion and an unwavering commitment to Iran’s natural heritage, wildlife filmmaker Fathollah Amiri took up the challenge, embarking on a grueling six-year journey across Kavir’s immense wilderness—an area as vast as Switzerland. Through rugged terrain, scorching heat, and endless solitude, Amiri pursued his mission with relentless dedication. Tanhavash captures this epic journey, showcasing Iran’s breathtaking landscapes and the urgent battle to preserve its most endangered predator.

With captivating visuals and a powerful narrative, Tanhavash draws viewers into a world of suspense and beauty, igniting a sense of responsibility toward wildlife conservation and reminding us of the fragile existence of these magnificent creatures. It’s a call to action, a tribute to perseverance, and a stirring reminder of what’s at stake if we let the Iranian Cheetah fade into memory.