Rakhshan Bani-E'temad

Rakhshān Banietemad (; born April 3, 1954, in Tehran, Iran) is an Iranian film director and screenwriter. She is often referred to as the "First Lady of Iranian Cinema" due to her prominent role in the country's film industry and her ability to merge political themes with personal and family narratives in her work. Banietemad is known for exploring societal issues through characters, who often represent various segments of Iranian society.

Her films often address a wide range of issues such as: the evolving roles of women, poverty, war, domestic abuse, social mobility, and balancing a portrayal of harsh realities with a sense of hope for change.

Banietemad's films frequently focus on women, with characters such as Tooba (Golab Adineh), Nobar (Fatemah Motamed-Aria), and Sara (Baran Kosari) representing different facets of women's experiences in Iran. These characters are often revisited and reinterpreted over time, reflecting the changes in Iranian society and culture.

Her 2002 film OurTimes (Ruz-egar-e ma) became the first documentary to be released in theaters in Iran.

Early life and education Rakhshan Banietemad was born in Tehran, Iran, on April 3, 1954, into a middle-class family. Although her parents encouraged her to pursue a career in teaching, she demonstrated an interest in film from a young age. As a teenager, she decided to study film, and earned a Bachelor of Arts in film studies from the Dramatic Arts University in Tehran. Initially, Banietemad had planned to study architecture. Just before entering university, she took an exam for an intensive stage assistance course by the School of Television and Cinema, and was one of the 20 students accepted. She studied both architecture and stage assistance, but the following year, she took the national exam for the faculty of dramatic arts and chose to focus on film directing.

Career 1970s and 1980s In 1973, after completing her degree, Banietemad began working as a script supervisor for the Iranian television network IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting). Later, in 1980, she directed television documentary features.

In 1981, Banietemad began working in cinema as a script supervisor on films such as The Liegemen and Chrysanthemum. She directed her first feature film Off the Limits in 1987. She followed this up Canary Yellow in 1988.

Her 2004 film, Gilaneh, considered an anti-war film, was nominated for three Crystal Simorghs at the Fajr Film Festival and won for best make-up and a special jury prize. Fatemeh Motamedaria, who starred in Gilaneh, won best actress.

She also continued making documentaries, and has collaborated with young filmmakers in Hey, Humans (2016), and The Karastan film series (2013-2017). For example, the story of Nargess comes from a documentary about homeless women, the character of Touba in Under the Skin of the City (2001) came about from a documentary on working women, and the character of "Kabootar" in the movie The Blue Veiled (1995) was inspired by a harsh woman called "Mr. Ghodrat" (Ghodrat means a power which is a male name).

Legacy She was awarded an honorary degree from SOAS in 2008.

Personal life She is married to Iranian film producer Jahangir Kosari. Their daughter, Baran Kosari, is an Iranian film actress. Kosari began acting at a young age and is now a professional actress. She has appeared in her mother's films, as well as those of other Iranian filmmakers. Best Screenplay

Best Director Best Screenplay Iranian Cinema Directors Association Seemeen Best Director 1995 Locarno International Film Festival

1996 Tessaloniki International Film Festival (Greece)

1997

16th Fajr International Film Festival Special Jury Prize Best Director

Montreal World Film Festival FIPRESCI Hounarable Mention 2nd Iranian Cinema Festival Best Director

The best film selected by the Critics and Writers Association

Best Screenplay Joint with Farid Mostafavi Best Film Best Director Moscow International Film Festival

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Czech)

Best Screenplay Joint with Farid Mostafavi Audience award Cinemavenire Best Film

Seattle International Film Festival Special Jury Award Our Times Locarno International Film Festival

Kara International Film Festival Best Film Iranian Women Film Directors Golden Lotus 10th Holy defense Festival (Iran) Special Jury Prize Best Director Joint with Mohsen Abdul Wahab

Vesoul Asian Film Festival (France)

Joint with Mohsen Abdul Wahab Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival (Spain) Special Jury Prize

Asia Pacific Screen Awards Best Director Joint with Mohsen Abdul Wahab 25th Fajr International Film Festival Simorgh Best Screenplay Joint with Mohsen Abdul Wahab, Farid Mostafavi, Naghme Samini Asiatica Film Mediale (Italy) Best Film City International Film Festival (Iran) Best Film

Best Screenplay Joint with Mohsen Abdul Wahab, Farid Mostafavi, Naghme Samini

Best Director Joint with Mohsen Abdul Wahab

International Women's Film Festival (Creteil, France) Grand Jury Prize Pyongyang International Film Festival (North Korea) Best Screenplay Joint with Mohsen Abdul Wahab, Farid Mostafavi, Naghme Samini Dhaka International Film Festival (Pakistan) Special Jury Prize

Venice International Film Festival (Italy) Best Screenplay Joint with Farid Mostafavi Kolkata International Film Festival (India) Golden Royal Bengal Tiger Best Film Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Australia) Special Jury Prize 32nd Fajr International Film Festival Best Film

Best Film

Best Director Best Screenplay Joint with Farid Mostafavi

London Iranian Film Festival (UK) Best Film Gene Siskel Film Center (USA) Audience Award 2016 Prague Iranian Film Festival (Czech) Best Film Honorary Golden Cyclo, 23rd Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema (France), 2017 Ethics and Prayer Award for social and civilian activities (Iran), 2016 Cinema Honorary Award, 4th International Women Film Festival (Afghanistan), 2016 Cinema Honorary Award, 6th International Crime & Punishment Film Festival (Turkey), 2016 Special Jury Prize, Kahrizak 4 views, Dubai International Film Festival (UAE), 2012 Prix Henri Langlois, Vincennes International Film Festival (France), 2010 Special Jury Prize, We Are Half of Iran's Population, (WIFTS) (USA), 2009 Achievement in Directing, Mainline, Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Australia), 2007 Best Director & Best Actress, Mainline, Iran Cinema House Awards (Iran), 2007 Artistic & Cultural Achievement Award, Kara International Film Festival (Pakistan), 2004 Prince Claus Prize for Culture and Development (The Netherlands), 1998 "Il Sindaco di Firenze” Peace and Freedom Award (Italy), 1998 Best Asian Woman Director, The Blue Veiled, India International Film Festival (India), 1996 Best Film, Off the Limits, Comedy International Film Festival (Italy), 1987 The Prince Claus Award, 1998 Honorary doctorate, SOAS, University of London (2008)

Professional distinctions

Jury Member, Venice International Film Festival (Italy), 2017 Academy Oscars Member, Writers Branch, 2017 President of the jury, Vesoul Film Festival (France), 2017 President of the jury, Prague Iranian Film Festival (Czech), 2017 President of the jury, Image Film Festival (Iran), 2016 President of the jury, Cinema Verite International Film Festival (Iran), 2013 President of the jury, Busan International Film Festival (South Korea), 2013 Master Class, California Institute of the Arts (USA), 2013 Jury Member, Shanghai International Film Festival (China), 2012 Jury Member, Dubai International Film Festival (UAE), 2010 Jury Member, Asiatic Film Mediale Festival (Italy), 2010 Master Class, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis (USA), 2010 Jury Member, Fribourg International Film Festival (Switzerland), 2010 Jury Member, Urban International Film Festival (Iran), 2009 Producer, Heiran, feature-film (Iran), 2009 Producer, Second House, documentary (Iran), 2008 Honorary Doctorate, University of London (Iran), 2008 Master Class, School of Oriental and African Studies, SOAS (England), 2008 Master Class, Geneva University of Art & Design (ESBA), 2008 Jury Member, Cinema Verite International Film Festival (Iran), 2007 Jury Member, Women's Film Festival (Iran), 2006 Jury Member, Asian Cinema, Fajr International Film Festival (Iran), 2006 Jury Member, Art University Student Festival (Iran), 2005 Director, Sony Young Directors Film Festival (Iran), 2003 Jury Member, Asia Pacific Film Festival (Iran), 2003 Jury Member, Sony Young Directors Film Festival (Iran), 2002 Jury Member, Moscow International Film Festival ( Russia), 2002 Jury Member, Cairo International Film Festival (Egypt), 2002 Jury Member, Fajr International Film Festival (Iran), 2001 Jury Member, Montreal World Film Festival (Canada), 2001 Jury Member, Youth Film Festival (Iran), 2001 Jury Member, Student Film Festival (Iran), 1999 Jury Member, Leipzig International Film Festival (Germany), 1999 Jury Member, Tokyo Environmental International Film Festival (Japan), 1998 Jury Member, New Delhi International Film Festival (India), 1998 Jury Member, Student Film Festival (Iran), 1997 Jury Member, Locarno International Film Festival (Swiss), 1996 Jury Member, Turin International Film Festival (Italy), 1995 Jury Member, Center for Iranian Film Directors (Iran), 1993 Jury Member, Roshd Film Festival (Iran), 1992 Jury Member, Fajr International Film Festival (Iran), 1990