Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Iran’s First Feminist Qorrat al-Ayn Is Brought Back to Life in New Movie

By Katayoon Halajan
Shabnam Tolouei is an Iranian-born actress, stage director and playwright who moviegoers will remember as the lead actress in Shirin Neshat’s movie "Women Without Men" (winner of the Venice Film Festival's top Golden Lion award in 2009). Tolouei is now back

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...

Iranian-American Actress Yara Shahidi Stars in ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’ With Jude Law 

By Nazanine Nouri The Iranian-American actress and producer Yara Shahidi stars as Tinker Bell in Disney’s new production of the classic novel and 1953 animation movie “Peter Pan” which is available on Disney+. “Peter Pan &...

Iranian-Born Actress Marjan Neshat Wins Top Award for New York Stage Performances

By Nazanine Nouri The Iranian-born, American actress Marjan Neshat has won the Sam Norkin Off-Broadway Award for her performances in Sylvia Khoury’s “Selling Kabul” and Sanaz Toossi’s “English.” “Selling Kabul” —performed at Playwrights Horizons in New...

Jafar Panahi Among Contenders for the Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or

The Cannes Film Festival announced its lineup late last week, and said the Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi -- who is not allowed to leave Iran or to make movies -- was a contender for...

Iranian Filmmaker Roustayi Concerned About Return Home Despite Cautious Cannes Film

By Michaela Cabrera and Miranda Murray CANNES, France, May 23 (Reuters) - Iranian filmmaker Saeed Roustayi said on Friday that he was careful in how he shot his Cannes Film Festival entry "Woman and Child", which never...

Director Ana Lily Amirpour to Compete at Venice Film Festival With ‘Mona Lisa’ Movie

By Nazanine Nouri The Iranian-American director Ana Lily Amirpour -- who won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival in 2016 for her horror movie “The Bad Batch” -- will be back in...

Jailed Iranian Filmmaker Panahi Wins Jury Prize at Venice Film Festival

By Ahmad Rafat Jafar Panahi’s “No Bears” (Khers Nist) won the Special Jury Prize last weekend at the Venice Film Festival, in a demonstration of solidarity with detained Iranian filmmakers such as himself. In the festival’s...

Movie Shot Covertly in Iran, Smuggled Out Wins Sundance Festival’s Special Jury Award

  By Kayhan Life Staff An Iranian feature film shot covertly in Iran and smuggled out of the country has won a special jury award at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah. Written, directed and produced by...
video

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...