Iranian Directors In the Spotlight at London Film Festival
A documentary shot by an Iranian asylum seeker in a detention camp was among several Iranian films screened at this year's London Film Festival, which drew some 200,000 moviegoers to an array of cinemas...
Halloween with a Persian Twist
By Fred Parvaneh
Halloween is a quintessentially American celebration – yet one that countless Iranians around the globe happily partake in.
Halloween relives the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in), which originated in Ireland, the...
Shirin Neshat Talks About Her Latest Film: A Tribute to Oum Kulthum
By Ahmad Rafat
Shirin Neshat – the Iranian visual artist and filmmaker who won the Silver Lion award for best director at the 2009 Venice International Film Festival for "Women Without Men" – was in...
Iranian Films Win Awards At Venice Film Festival
By Ahmad Rafat
Iranian filmmakers and actors won three awards in the Horizons (Orizzonti) section of the Venice Film Festival earlier this month. The section runs parallel to the main festival competition.
Dominique Welinski and René...
The Shah’s Dying Days: Interview with Filmmaker Bobak Kalhor
By Fred Parvaneh
"A Dying King” is a documentary by first-time filmmaker Bobak Kalhor that examines the untold medical story of the late Shah of Iran and the truth behind his death in July 1980.
The...
Venice Film Festival Hosts Filmmakers Shirin Neshat, Khatami
Four Iranian directors are presenting their movies at this year's Venice Film Festival (which ends Sept. 9), all of them outside of the official competition. They include Shirin Neshat, who won the festival's Silver...
Iranian Gangster Movie Starring Parviz Sayyad Gets L.A. Premiere
By Fred Parvaneh
An Iranian gangster movie co-starring the veteran Iranian actor Parviz Sayyad had its red-carpet L.A. premiere earlier this month, with Sayyad and other cast and crew members attending.
Written and directed by Daniel...
Shah’s Dentist Turns Car Manufacturer in Movie ‘Price for Freedom’
By Fred Parvaneh
The movie "Price for Freedom" – based on a true story published by the Iranian-born dentist Dr. Marc Benhuri – had its Los Angeles premiere at the Laemmle Music Hall on June...
Hollywood Filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour Discusses Her New Movie, Iranian Roots
By Laura van Straaten
Hours before opening weekend for her much-anticipated movie “The Bad Batch,” the
Iranian-American screenwriter and director Ana Lily Amirpour sat down for an interview with Kayhan Life to discuss her quick rise...
Iranian-Australian Actor Mojean Aria Wins Heath Ledger Award
By Fred Parvaneh
In early June, the young Iranian-Australian actor Mojean (pronounced Moe-zhan) Aria was announced as the recipient of the 2017 "Heath Ledger Scholarship".
The prestigious award, created by the non-profit organization Australians in Film,...