Actor Anthony Azizi is set to star in 'Cast Aside the Clouds,' an Iran-set romance thriller that will shoot in Athens, Greece. Directed by Mary Darling and produced by WestWind Pictures, this indie film will feature Azizi as Farhad Khosrovi, a Tehran bookstore owner. Farhad's daughter, Utab, played by Parmiss Sehat, attends a secret university that aligns with the Iranian Bahá'í spiritualist faith. After an attack on the bookstore, a hospitalized Utab encounters Dr. Sasan Naderi, a young Muslim neurologist portrayed by Behtash Fazlali. This meeting sparks a romance between them.

Their relationship faces fierce opposition from both families due to the religious divide, particularly as Utab learns of Sasan's plans to study in Germany. Utab's circumstances turn dire when she is arrested, imprisoned, and tortured for her Bahá'í faith. As she faces execution, both families must unite to secure her release before it's too late. Azizi, who is a member of the Bahá'í faith, has personal ties to the story, as two of his uncles were executed in Iran for their Bahá'í beliefs.

Shirin Youssefian will portray Vida, Utab’s mother, in the film, which is scheduled to start production in late September. 'Cast Aside the Clouds' is financed by the One Planet Group and other private equity funds. WestWind Pictures, known for producing the classic Canadian sitcom 'Little Mosque on the Prairie,' is behind this new project. 'Little Mosque on the Prairie,' a comedy about a community of devout Muslims in a small prairie town, aired on CBC from 2007 to 2012 and was distributed in over 80 international markets. While 20th Century Fox TV once picked up the U.S. format rights, a U.S. version never materialized.