Friday, July 31, 2026

Film Director Lambastes Journalist Over Opposition To Hijab

Marzieh Boroumand, a veteran Iranian film and television director who has come out against the compulsory hijab, has also criticized those who incite civil unrest, particularly from outside the country. A recent message on her...
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An Iranian’s Adventures in America: Maz Jobrani Discusses his New Movie

The Iranian-born actor and comedian Maziyar Jobrani – known as ‘Maz’ to most people – is a major hit in the U.S. That's thanks mainly to his stand-up act, but also to minor parts in Hollywood...
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Banned Iranian Director Ali Ahmadzadeh Wins Top Award At Locarno Film Festival

By Ahmad Rafat Ali Ahmadzadeh — an Iranian filmmaker who was banned earlier this year from leaving his country — has won the top award at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland for his movie...
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BBC Series on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe Is A Tale of Cruelty and Survival, Husband Says

By Natasha Phillips A new BBC series titled "Prisoner 951" depicts the harrowing and true story of British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was arbitrarily detained in Iran for almost six years, and the subsequent campaign led by her husband...

Films By Iranian Women Get Top Billing In Europe’s Movie Theaters

By Ahmad Rafat Women directors of Iranian descent are seeing their movies widely showcased across European movie theaters. The directors are Zar Amir Ebrahimi, with “Tatami;” Maryam Keshavarz, the Iranian-American director of “The Persian Version;”...

OPINION: Iran’s Role in Protests Against ‘The Lady of Heaven’ Movie

By Potkin Azarmehr The cinema chain Cineworld canceled the screening of “The Lady of Heaven” after Muslim activists living in the UK protested outside its theaters last week. https://youtu.be/1MaDAW0jRYM Threats by angry Muslim mobs and the absence...

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...
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Iranian-American Filmmaker Wins Oscar for Menstruation Movie

By Tara Biglari Filmmaker Rayka Zehtabchi made history this week as the first Iranian-American ever to win an Oscar. Her film ‘Period. End of Sentence’ — about the stigma around menstruation in parts of the...

Tough Realities of Life In Iran Are Highlighted in London Festival of Films By...

By Ahmad Rafat The first festival of documentaries, short films, and animation by Iran-based female directors was recently held in London. The two-day festival was co-organized by the Persia Educational Foundation (established in 2016) and...

Iranian-Canadian Director Keshvari Makes First Movie on Coronavirus 

By Ahmad Rafat Iranian-Canadian director Mostafa Keshvari has made the first full-length film about the coronavirus pandemic titled “Corona” with the tagline “Fear is a Virus.” The film is about the interactions between seven people who...