The Short

I was born and grow up in Mahabad, a Kurdish city in Iran, where I was greatly inspired by its people, its nature, and its culture in my whole life. My love for making films and photography started in this city when I was impatiently looking for a way to make the stories of this city immortal. Cinema is my love; it is my way of living for telling stories about life, about forgotten cultures, also, shed light on the everyday struggles of the Kurdish people, especially Kurdish women, against various forms of oppression. My latest endeavors focus on female directors debuting in directing.

Education

2014: Participation in documentary filmmaking workshop under the supervision of Asghar Farhadi, Tehran – Iran.

2013: Participation in documentary filmmaking workshop under the supervision of Mehrdad Oskouie, Tehran – Iran.

2013: Participation in documentary filmmaking workshop titled “personal language in documentary film” under the supervision of Arne Bro in Danish film school, Copenhagen – Denmark.

2011: Completed a film course in Tehran film school under the supervision of Dr. Ahmad Alasti, Tehran – Iran.

2008: Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in fine arts (Cinema) from Sureh University in Tehran – Iran.

1999: Completed a film and photography course in the Youth Cinema Association, Mahabad – Iran.

Honors and Distinctions:

2023: Chair of jury member  “III Moscow Kurdish Film Festival”.

2019: Invited by Berlinale talents – Berlin film festival.

2018: A member of jury 10thnational film festival Jiyar” Sanandaj-Iran.

2016-2017: Participated in 3 seminars of” Greenhouse documentary program” which hold in Morocco.

2017: A member of jury 2thInternational film festival Rojava” Rojava- Suriye.

2015-2019: Organizing and supervising a workshop based on Arne Bro’s method of “personal language in filmmaking” in Kurdistan and Tehran Iran.

2012: A member of jury 2thInternational film festival YalmazGuney” Batman-Turkey.

2010: Member of Iranian Documentary Filmmakers Association.

2013: Documentary Film from women’s eyes conference in Amed Film Festival-Turkey.

2015-2019: Organizing and supervising workshops based on Arne Bro’s method of “personal language in filmmaking” in Kurdistan and Tehran – Iran.

Occupation:

Director, Producer, Photographer,Tutor, Mentor

A member of the board of directors of the Art & Cultural Institute of Honar Afarinan SHAR

Host and producer of Kurdish Frame Podcast

Filmography:

Short Films:

2017: “001” A girl in her wedding day has been informed through internet and social media of her upcoming events in future.

2010: Kolanek le Pisht mali Eme “An alley behind our house” (The story of two youngster girls who became the victims of female genital mutilation).

Documentary Films:

2015-2021: “I promise” in post-production stage. It is about 7 refugee girls who live in a refugee camp in Diyarbakir –Turkey.

This project was supported by “Greenhouse” Documentary Development Program 2016-2017 (participated in 3 seminars which hold in Morocco), Women Make Movies, Jacob Burns Film Center, and Yeni Film Fund.

2021: “A Year in Photos”. This film takes viewers across the globe to explore powerful contemporary stories and artistic excellence. The film celebrates the Sony World Photography 2021 Award winners and I made a part of Iran.

2019: “5 mothers and 1 common”. The story of the mothers whose children have defeated cancer.

The film was commissioned by the Mahak Charity foundation to raise money for charity in the United States and was able to raise up to 1 million Dollars.

2014: “My Granma`s Daughter” (This is the story of the past and the present of my mother and her mother that lived together in an old house). Produced by the National Film School of Denmark.

2008: Cil u bergi Mukriyan “Clothes of Mukrian” (A documentary on all kinds of local Kurdish dresses in Mukriyan and the history of them – This film was screened on BBC Persian TV channel).

2006: Xeyali Winbu “The lost dream” (The story of the only city theatre of Mahabad that was shut down in 2002).

TV Documentaries:

2010: Xatana, Xewneki aloz “A nightmare Called Circumcision “(A documentary made in Iraqi Kurdistan for Zagros TV on Female Genital Circumcision).

2010: Peyman (A documentary made in Iraqi Kurdistan for Zagros TV about street children).

2010: Talaq “Divorce” (A documentary made in Iraqi Kurdistan for Zagros TV about divorce in Kurdish modern society).

2010: Cigere keshan lere Qedexeye “Smoking is prohibited here” (A documentary made in Iraqi Kurdistan for Zagros TV about smoking between young people in that region).

Participations in Festivals

 

 

 

2013: 5th International Digital Film Festival in India with “An Alley behind Our House”.

2012: Diyarbakir Short Film Festival in Turkey with “An Alley behind Our House”.

2012: 2nd International Duhok Film Festival in Iraqi Kurdistan for “An Alley behind Our House”.

2012: 3rd Baghdad International Film Festival in Iraq with “An Alley behind Our House”.

2012: 1st International Amed Film Festival in Turkey with “An Alley behind Our House”.

2012: 1st International Amed Film Festival in Turkey with “Clothes of Mukrian”.

2012: 1st Yilmaz Guney International Film Festival in Batman, Turkey with “An Alley behind Our House”.

2012: 1st Yilmaz Guney International Film Festival in Batman, Turkey with “Clothes of Mukrian”.

2012: 16th Flying Broom International Women’s Film Festival in Turkey with “An Alley behind our house”.

2012: 5th International Human Rights Film Festival “STEPS” with “An Alley behind Our House” in Ukraine.

2012: 14th International Women’s Film Festival with “An Alley behind Our House” in Seoul, South Korea.

2012: 10th Kimera International Film Festival with “An Alley behind Our House” in Molise, Italy.

2012: 27th International Black Film Festival with “An Alley behind Our House” in Berlin, Germany.

2012: 2nd Amed Documentary Film Festival in Turkey with “Clothes of Mukrian”.

2012: 5th Independent Film Festival with “An Alley behind Our House” in Italy.

2011: 10th Third Eye Asian Film Festival with “An Alley behind Our House” in India.

2011: 8th Kane International Film Festival in Armenia “An Alley behind Our House” in Armenia.

2011: 7th London Kurdish Film Festival with “An Alley behind Our House” in England.

2011: 10th   Reggio Film Festival with “An Alley behind Our House” in Italy.

2010: Suleymaniye Tawar Women Film Festival with Ciyaz in Iraqi Kurdistan.

2007: Melbourne Kurdish Film Festival with the documentary Xeyali Winbu in Australia.

Awards

2012: Audience Award for Best Film/ 1st Yilmaz Guney International Film Festival, Batman, Turkey, for An Alley behind Our House.

2012: Best film/video on matters relating to the Black Experience/ Marginalized People / 27th International Black Film Festival for An Alley behind Our House Berlin – Germany.

2012: Special Jury Award, 3rd Baghdad International Film Festival in Iraq for An Alley behind Our House

2012: Special Jury Award, 10th Kimera International Film Festival for An Alley behind Our House in Molise – Italy.

2012: Special Jury Award, 1rd women International Film Festival in Iraq- Sulaymanyah for An Alley behind Our House

2006: Best Documentary for Xeyali Winbu in 6th International Iranian Students Film and Photo Festival Tehran.

2005: Best Director for Ciyaz in 1st Sooreh University Sayeh Film Festival, Tehran – Iran.

Photography and Exhibitions

2011: “Active Women`s Portraits” photo gallery, Erbil – Iraq.

2011: Joint Photography Exhibition about the daily life and the sufferings of the people in the different cities of Kurdistan with Keywan Fahimi in Mahabad – Iran.

2010: Joint Exhibition on the portraits of Mahabad’s theatre artists with Keywan Fahimi in Mahabad – Iran.

2010: Photography Exhibition during the regional film festival of the Azarbayejan-eh Gharbi province – Iran.

2008: Photography of a play, “For Noosha because of her birthday” directed by Mohammad Naderi and played at Tarbiat Modaress University.

2008: Photography of a documentary series in Iranian official TV, “The hidden treasury”.

2007: Photography of a play, “A man is a man” directed by Shekoofeh Masoori and played at Mawlawi Theatre, Tehran – Iran.

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