Rakhshan Banietemad

DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY

Rakhshan Banietemad, born in 1954 Tehran, began to make documentaries for the Iranian National Television in 1979, right after graduating from the University of Dramatic Arts, Tehran. From 1979 to 1987, she focused on making only documentaries. In 1987, she directed her first feature film “Off the Limits”. In 1991, she became the first woman recipient of the Best Director award for “Nargess” at Fajr International Film Festival in Iran. In 1995, she won the Bronze Leopard for The Blue Veiled at the Locarno Film Festival. “Under the Skin of the City”, her next film, was the highest grossing film in Iran in 2000. This film along with “Gilaneh” (2005) and “Mainline” (2006), garnered major awards in more than 50 film festivals. Also “Tales” won the Best Screenplay award in the main competition of Venice International Film Festival in 2014.

While Banietemad’s feature films have been acclaimed and honored worldwide, her documentaries have also been successful and popular internationally. “Our Times…”, was the first documentary ever to be released in the movie theaters in Iran in 2002. It was also screened in highly prestigious and prominent festivals and TV channels such as IDFA, Sundance Film Festival and ARTE.

From 2013 to 2017, she mentored six documentaries, which were well received by the public and contributed to a positive perception of the genre.

In 2008, she received an honorary doctorate from University of London, in 2010, she was awarded the Prix Henri Langlois from Vincennes International Film Festival.

She has joined the Academy Oscar, Writers branch in 2017.

FILMOGRAPHY

SHORT FILM

“Off the Limits” (Kharej az mahdudeh)

“Canary Yellow” (Zard-e qanari)

“Foreign Currency” (Poul-e khareji)

“Nargess” (Nargess)

“The Blue Veiled” (Rusari abi)

“The May Lady” (Banu-ye ordibehesht)

“Baran and the Native” (part of the feature film “Kish”)

“Under the Skin of the City” (Zir-e pust-e shahr)

“Gilaneh” (Gilaneh), Co-Director: Mohsen Abdolvahab

“Mainline” (Khun bazi), Co-Director: Mohsen Abdolvahab

“Tales”(Ghesseh ha)

1987

1988

1989

1991

1994

1997

1998

2000

2005

2006

2014

DOCUMENTARY

“The Culture of Consumption” (Farhang-e masrafi)

“Occupation of Migrant Peasants in the City”(Mohajerin-e roustai dar shahr)

“The War Economic Planning” (Tadbirha-ye eqtesadi-e jang)

“Centralization” (Tamarkoz)

“The 1992 Report” (Gozaresh-e 71)

“Spring to Spring” (Bahar ta bahar)

“To Whom Do You Show These Films?” (In filmha ra beh ki neshun midin?)

“The Last Visit with Iran Daftari” (Akharin didar ba Iran Daftari)

“Under the Skin of the City” (Zir-e pust-e shahr)

“Our Times…”(Ruzegar-e ma…)

“Persian Carpet” (segment)

“3D Carpet” (Farsh-e 3 Bodi),, Part of “Iranian Carpet”

“Angels of the House of Sun” (Hayat khalvate khaneh khorshid)

“We Are Half of Iran’s Population” (Ma nimi az jameiat-e Iranim)

“See You Tomorrow Elina” (Farda mibinamet Elina)

“The Room No. 202”, (Otahgh-e 202) Part of “Kahrizak 4 Views”

“Keep Children in School” (Bacheh ha ra dar madreseh negahdarim) (a teamwork)

“Mahak My Home” (Khaneh-ye man Mahak) (a teamwork)

“The Concert of the Lords of Secrets” (concert-e khodavandan-e asrar)

“The Mirrors Recital” (Concert-e ayeneh ha)

“The Other Side of Mirrors” (An soo-ye ayeneh ha)

“All My Trees” (Hameh-ye derakhtan-e man)

“One Hour in a Lifetime” (Yek saat az yek omr)

“Hey, Humans” (Ay, Adamha)

“Touran Khanom” (Mrs Touran), Co-director

1979

1980

1981

1986

1993

1995

1996

2002

2007

2009

2010

2012

2014

2015

2016

2018

SHORT FICTION

“Narratives ad hominem”

2020