Golshifteh Farahani
Encyclopedia
Golshifteh Farahani is a Crystal-Simorgh
winning Iran
ian actress and pianist
.
, the daughter of actor/theater director Behzad Farahani
and his spouse, Fahime Rahiminia and sister of actress Shaghayegh Farahani
. She started studying music and playing the piano at age of five. At 12, she entered a music school in Tehran.
At 14, Golshifteh was cast as the lead in Dariush Mehrjui's The Pear Tree for which she won the Crystal Roc for Best Actress from the International Section of the 16th Fajr International Film Festival
in Tehran
.
(The Santoor Player) and Bahman Ghobadi
's Half Moon
(winner of the Golden Shell at the 2006 San Sebastian Film Festival), the late Rasool Mollagholipoor's M for Mother (Iran's nominee for the 2008 Academy Awards
for the Best Foreign Language Film category) for which she won the special prize by the jury for the Best Actress from the 37th Roshd International Film Festival
which was held in Tehran in 2007 and Asghar Farhadi's "About Elly
" (Silver Bear for Best Director from Berlin Film festival and Best film from Tribeca Film festival).
Golshifteh is highly involved in environmental activities and has also become the ambassador for fighting tuberculosis in Iran.
Subsequent to her involvement in the U.S. film Body of Lies
, she reportedly had been prevented by Iranian authorities from leaving Iran, but this was denied by her colleagues and she later appeared at the Body of Lies premiere in the U.S.
As her last acting experience in Iran, she appeared in About Elly directed by Asghar Farhadi
. The film has been selected at the Tribeca Film Festival
and won a Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival
. She now lives in Paris, France with her husband Amin Mahdavi.
In Iran, Golshifteh was part of an underground rock band named "Kooch Neshin" (Nomads) which won the 2nd Tehran Avenue underground rock competition. Since leaving Iran, Golshifteh has been able to continue her music career as well. She has teamed up with another exiled Iranian musician Mohsen Namjoo. Their new album Oy
was released in October 2009. They have also started an international tour with 2 concerts in Italy.
Since Golshifteh moved to Paris she has been working with directors Roland Joffe, Hiner Saleem and Marjan Satrapi. She has also been a member of the international jury at the 63rd Locarno Film Festival.
Her upcoming movie is Rumi's Kimia
, a film in development which is directed by Dariush Mehrjui starring Golshifteh Farahani and based on a novel, Kimia Khatoon
, by Saideh Ghods.
Fajr International Film Festival
The Fajr Film Festival or Fajr International Film Festival is Iran's annual film festival, held every February in Tehran.The festival, started in 1982, is under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture in Iran...
winning Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian actress and pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
.
Early life
Golshifteh Farahani was born on 10 July 1983 in TehranTehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, the daughter of actor/theater director Behzad Farahani
Behzad Farahani
Behzad Farahani is an Iranian actor and screenwriter. He is the father of actresses Shaghayegh Farahani and Golshifteh Farahani.-Biography:Farahani was born in Farahan, Iran...
and his spouse, Fahime Rahiminia and sister of actress Shaghayegh Farahani
Shaghayegh Farahani
Shaghayegh Farahani is an Iranian actress. She is the daughter of actor Behzad Farahani and sister of actress Golshifteh Farahani.-Selected filmography:* Leila, 1996* Totia* Love is not Enough, 1998* Nights of Tehran...
. She started studying music and playing the piano at age of five. At 12, she entered a music school in Tehran.
At 14, Golshifteh was cast as the lead in Dariush Mehrjui's The Pear Tree for which she won the Crystal Roc for Best Actress from the International Section of the 16th Fajr International Film Festival
Fajr International Film Festival
The Fajr Film Festival or Fajr International Film Festival is Iran's annual film festival, held every February in Tehran.The festival, started in 1982, is under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture in Iran...
in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
.
Career
Since then she has acted in 20 films, many of which have received international awards. For Boutique she won the Best Actress award from the 26th Nantes Three Continents Festival (France). In recent years she has acted in movies by some of Iran's best directors: Dariush Mehrjui's controversial film SantouriSantouri (film)
Santouri is a 2007 Iranian drama film directed by Dariush Mehrjui dealing with the life of a santour player named Ali Bolourchi. The film's title, "Santouri" refers to one who can play the santour instrument...
(The Santoor Player) and Bahman Ghobadi
Bahman Ghobadi
Bahman Ghobadi is an Iranian film director of Kurdish ethnicity. He was born on February 1, 1969 in Baneh, Kurdistan Province. Ghobadi belongs to the so called "new wave" of Iranian cinema.-Biography:...
's Half Moon
Half Moon (film)
Half Moon is a 2006 film written and directed by the Iranian Kurdish filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi. Half Moon is a joint production of Iran, Austria, France and Iraq...
(winner of the Golden Shell at the 2006 San Sebastian Film Festival), the late Rasool Mollagholipoor's M for Mother (Iran's nominee for the 2008 Academy Awards
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
for the Best Foreign Language Film category) for which she won the special prize by the jury for the Best Actress from the 37th Roshd International Film Festival
Roshd International Film Festival
Roshd International Film Festival is the oldest Film Festival in Iran. It is centered around the films with educational and pedagogical themes and is staged every year by the Supplying Educational Media Center, a sub-branch of the Ministry of Education of the I.R.Iran...
which was held in Tehran in 2007 and Asghar Farhadi's "About Elly
About Elly
About Elly is a 2009 Iranian film directed by Asghar Farhadi. It is the fourth film by Farhadi. The film is about the relationship among some middle class families in Iran....
" (Silver Bear for Best Director from Berlin Film festival and Best film from Tribeca Film festival).
Golshifteh is highly involved in environmental activities and has also become the ambassador for fighting tuberculosis in Iran.
Subsequent to her involvement in the U.S. film Body of Lies
Body of Lies (film)
Body of Lies is a 2008 American spy film directed by Ridley Scott. Set in the Middle East, it follows the attempts of the CIA and Jordanian Intelligence to catch "al-Saleem", a fictional jihadist terrorist...
, she reportedly had been prevented by Iranian authorities from leaving Iran, but this was denied by her colleagues and she later appeared at the Body of Lies premiere in the U.S.
As her last acting experience in Iran, she appeared in About Elly directed by Asghar Farhadi
Asghar Farhadi
-Career:Asghar Farhadi is a graduate of Theatre, with a BA in Dramatic Arts and MA in Stage Direction from Tehran University and Tarbiat Modarres University. Farhadi made short 8mm and 16mm films in Isfahan branch of Iranian Young Cinema Society before moving on to writing plays and screenplays for...
. The film has been selected at the Tribeca Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
and won a Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
. She now lives in Paris, France with her husband Amin Mahdavi.
In Iran, Golshifteh was part of an underground rock band named "Kooch Neshin" (Nomads) which won the 2nd Tehran Avenue underground rock competition. Since leaving Iran, Golshifteh has been able to continue her music career as well. She has teamed up with another exiled Iranian musician Mohsen Namjoo. Their new album Oy
Oy (album)
-Track listing:# "Hammash" - 5:16# "Shams" - 5:51# "Dela Didi" - 7:41# "Qashqai" - 5:55# "Binazir" - 8:00# "Khan Baji" - 7:44# "Cielito Lindo" - 7:36# "Gladiators " - 8:18-Quran sura singing controversy:...
was released in October 2009. They have also started an international tour with 2 concerts in Italy.
Since Golshifteh moved to Paris she has been working with directors Roland Joffe, Hiner Saleem and Marjan Satrapi. She has also been a member of the international jury at the 63rd Locarno Film Festival.
Her upcoming movie is Rumi's Kimia
Rumi's Kimia (film)
Rumi's Kimia is a film in development which is directed by Dariush Mehrjui starring Golshifteh Farahani and based on a novel, Kimia Khatoon, by Saideh Ghods....
, a film in development which is directed by Dariush Mehrjui starring Golshifteh Farahani and based on a novel, Kimia Khatoon
Kimia Khatoon (novel)
Kimia Khatoon is a Persian language novel by Saideh Ghods.Kimia Khatoon has been a best-seller for twelve consecutive months since its publication. It is originally written in Persian...
, by Saideh Ghods.
Filmography
| year | title | role | note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Derakht e Golabie (The Pear Tree) | Mim | Best Film at Chicago Film Festival & Best Actress from International Section of Fajr International Film Festival & Best Cinematography at Fajr Film festival |
| 2000 | Haft Parde (Seven Acts) | The Angel | (banned in Iran) |
| 2001 | Zamaneh (Times) | Zamaneh | |
| 2002 | Jayee Digar (Somewhere Else) | Raha | |
| 2003 | Deux fereshté (Two Angels) | Azar | (banned in Iran), Selected for the Semaine de la Critique at Cannes Film Festival Cannes Film Festival The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals... |
| Boutique | Eti | Best Actress at Nantes Three Continents Festival & Critic's Choice and Best First Film at Fajr International Film Festival & Best Actress at House of Cinema Festival (Tehran) | |
| 2004 | Ashk-e Sarma (The Tear of the Cold) | Ronak | Best Film and Best Actress at Kazan International Film Festival & selected at Fukuoka International Film Festival (Japan) & Best Actress at House of Cinema Festival (Tehran) |
| Bab'Aziz: Le prince qui contemplait son âme Bab'Aziz Bab'Aziz, or, Bab'Aziz: Le prince qui contemplait son âme is a 2005 film by Tunisian writer and director Nacer Khemir. It stars Parviz Shahinkhou, Maryam Hamid, Hossein Panahi, Nessim Khaloul, Mohamed Graïaa, Maryam Mohaid and Golshifteh Farahani... |
Noor | (banned in Iran) Best Film at Muscat Film Festival & Best Film from the Spiritual Section of the Fajr International Film Festival | |
| 2005 | Mahi-ha Ashegh Mishavand (Fish Fall in Love) | Touka | Selected at Rotterdam Film Festival |
| Be Nam-e Pedar (In the Name of the Father) | Habibeh | Best Film at Fajr International Film Festival | |
| 2006 | Gis Borideh | Mariam | |
| Niwemang (Half Moon Half Moon (film) Half Moon is a 2006 film written and directed by the Iranian Kurdish filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi. Half Moon is a joint production of Iran, Austria, France and Iraq... ) |
Niwemang | (banned in Iran) Best film & Best Photography at San Sebastian Film Festival & People's Choice at Istanbul Film Festival & selected at Toronto Film Festival & at Tribeca Film Festival | |
| 2007 | Mim Mesle Madar Mim Mesle Madar Mim Mesle Madar is Academy Award nominated Iranian film directed by Rasoul Mollaqolipour.The film is incomparably among the highest box office records in the history of Iranian cinema... (M for Mother) |
Sepideh | Best Film at Rome International Festival of Cinema and Religion & Best Actress at Kazan Film Festival |
| To Each His Cinema (short film) | Self | (banned in Iran) shown at Cannes Film Festival | |
| Santouri Santouri (film) Santouri is a 2007 Iranian drama film directed by Dariush Mehrjui dealing with the life of a santour player named Ali Bolourchi. The film's title, "Santouri" refers to one who can play the santour instrument... (Santouri The Music Man) |
Hanieh | (banned in Iran) People's Choice at Fajr International Film Festival | |
| 2008 | Shirin Shirin (film) Shirin is a 2008 film directed by master Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami. The film is considered by some critics as a notable twist in the artistic career of Kiarostami.... |
Self | shown at Venice Film Festival |
| Hamisheh Paye Yek Zan Dar Miyan Ast (There's Always a Woman in Between) | Mariam | People's Choice at Fajr International Film Festival | |
| Divar (The Wall) | Setareh | Best Photography at Fajr International Film Festival & selected at Tokyo Film Festival & at Taormina Film Festival | |
| Body of Lies Body of Lies (film) Body of Lies is a 2008 American spy film directed by Ridley Scott. Set in the Middle East, it follows the attempts of the CIA and Jordanian Intelligence to catch "al-Saleem", a fictional jihadist terrorist... |
Aisha | Directed by Ridley Scott, with Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe | |
| 2009 | Darbareye Elly (About Elly About Elly About Elly is a 2009 Iranian film directed by Asghar Farhadi. It is the fourth film by Farhadi. The film is about the relationship among some middle class families in Iran.... ) |
Sepideh | Silver Bear for Best Director Silver Bear for Best Director The Silver Bear for Best Director is the Berlin International Film Festival's award for best achievement in direction.-Awards:-Repeated winners:*Mario Monicelli *Satyajit Ray *Carlos Saura -External links:*... at Berlin Film Festival & Best Film at Tribeca Film Festival & Best Director and People's Choice awards at Fajr Film Festival |
| 2010 | |||
| There Be Dragons There Be Dragons There Be Dragons is a historical epic written and directed by Roland Joffé, a British filmmaker well known for directing The Mission, The Killing Fields and Captivity. It is a drama set during the Spanish Civil War which features themes such as betrayal, love and hatred, forgiveness, friendship,... |
Leila | Directed by Roland Joffe (in production) with Charlie Cox, Wes Bentley, Dougray Scott and Olga Kurylenko | |
| Si Tu Meurs, Je Te Tue (I'll Kill You If You Die) | Siba | Directed by Hiner Saleem (in production) with Jonathan Zaccai | |
| Poulet Aux Prunes Chicken with Plums (film) Chicken with Plums is a 2011 French drama film directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud. It is based on the graphic novel of the same name. The film premiered in competition at the 68th Venice International Film Festival on 3 September 2011... (Chicken With Plums) |
Irane | Directed by Marjan Satrapi with Mathieu Amalric and Isabella Rossellini | |
Awards and nominations
| year | event | award | film |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Fajr International Film Festival Fajr International Film Festival The Fajr Film Festival or Fajr International Film Festival is Iran's annual film festival, held every February in Tehran.The festival, started in 1982, is under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture in Iran... |
Best Actress from the International Section | Derakhte Golabi (The Pear Tree) |
| 2003 | Three Continents Festival Three Continents Festival The Festival of the Three Continents is an annual film festival held since 1979 in Nantes, France, and is devoted to the cinemas of Asia, and Africa and Latin America. It was founded by Philippe and Alain Jalladeau. The top award in the festival's competition is the balloon shaped Golden... (Nantes, France) |
Prix d'Interpretation Feminine | Boutique |
| 2004 | Fajr International Film Festival | Nominated for Best Actress | Ashk-e Sarma (Tear of the Cold) |
| House of Cinema Festival (Tehran) | Best Actress | Ashk-e Sarma (Tear of the Cold) & Boutique | |
| 2005 | Fajr International Film Festival | Nominated for Best Supporting Actress | Mahiha Ashegh Mishavand (Fish Fall in Love) |
| 2006 | Kazan International Film Festival | Best Actress | Ashk-e Sarma (Tear of the Cold) |
| 2007 | Roshd International Film Festival Roshd International Film Festival Roshd International Film Festival is the oldest Film Festival in Iran. It is centered around the films with educational and pedagogical themes and is staged every year by the Supplying Educational Media Center, a sub-branch of the Ministry of Education of the I.R.Iran... (Tehran) |
Special Prize for the Best Actress | Mim Mesle Madar (M for Mother) |
| Kowsar Film Festival (Mashhad) | Best Actress | Mim Mesle Madar (M for Mother) | |
| 2008 | Fajr International Film Festival | Nominated for Best Actress | Divar (The Wall) & Hamishe Paye Yek Zan Dar Miyan Ast (There's Always a Woman in Between) |
| Kazan International Film Festival | Best Actress | Mim Mesle Madar (M for Mother) | |
| 2009 | Asolo Film Festival (Italy) | Eleonora Duse Award | International Recognition for a Prominent Figure in Theater or Cinema |
| Asia Pacific Screen Awards Asia Pacific Screen Awards The Asia Pacific Screen Awards is an international cultural initiative of the State Government of Queensland, Australia, through Events Queensland, to honour and promote the films, actors, directors, and cultures of Asia-Pacific to a global audience and to realise the objectives of UNESCO to... |
Nominated for Best Actress | Darbareye Elly (About Elly) |
Theater Performance
| year | play | role | note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Mariam And Mardavij | Mariam | |
| 2004 | The Black Narcissus | (workshop) | |
| 2005 | Mofatesh (The Inspector) | Firoozeh | (banned in Iran) |
Concerts
| date | venue | note |
|---|---|---|
| 11/09/09 | Lido, Venice | With Mohsen Namjoo Mohsen Namjoo Mohsen Namjoo, , is an Iranian musician, singer-songwriter. born in 1976 in Torbat-e Jam, a small town in northeastern Iran. The New York Times called Namjoo "Iran's Bob Dylan".-Career:... , during the Venice Film Festival Venice Film Festival The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the... |
| 08/10/09 | Sala Verdi, Milan Conservatory Milan Conservatory The Milan Conservatory is a college of music which was established by a royal decree of 1807 in Milan, capital of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy. It opened the following year with premises in the cloisters of the Baroque church of Santa Maria della Passione. There were initially 18 boarders,... |
With Mohsen Namjoo, presentation of the new album "Oy Oy (album) -Track listing:# "Hammash" - 5:16# "Shams" - 5:51# "Dela Didi" - 7:41# "Qashqai" - 5:55# "Binazir" - 8:00# "Khan Baji" - 7:44# "Cielito Lindo" - 7:36# "Gladiators " - 8:18-Quran sura singing controversy:... " |