Born in Abadan, Iran in 1972, Mohsen Amiryoussefi and his family moved from the border city to Sedeh, his mother's hometown, at the beginning of the Iran-Iraq war. He studied mathematics at the University of Ispahan but eventually gravitated towards the arts, in particular the theatre, writing plays and scripts before finally turning to the cinema. His short films include: The Fine (1995), Nader, Son of the Sword (1998), Father and Son (1999), Stony Hands (2000) and Caravan (2002). His debut feature, BITTER DREAM, was shown in competition at the 2004 Montreal World Film Festival.