Famous Iranians - Samira Makhmalbaf
Mariam Noronha
Being born in to an enlightened family has been just one of the blessings of Samira Makhmalbaf's life.
As the daughter of Mohsen Makhmalbaf, the renowned Iranian filmmaker, Samira was brought up in a liberal atmosphere where she learnt the art of film making under his watchful eye.
Though her father has contributed towards her flair for cinema, it was her mother Marziyeh who inspired Samira to take up film making. Watching her mother balance work and home strengthened Samira's resolve to turn to cinema as a means of expression.
A Family of Filmmakers
All her films have been scripted by her father and herself and the famous Mohsen Makhmalbaf also helps in editing all of Samira's films. Her brother Meysam and sister Hana are also working to create memorable films on the silver screen. Egged on by their parents Mohsen and Marziyeh (an accomplished filmmaker herself) Samira and her siblings will undoubtedly take the Makhmalbaf Film House to greater heights.
Forced to relocate to Afghanistan after the regime refused to allow them to shoot or screen their films in Iran, the Makhmalbafs have taken on the challenge of film making in a country characterized by its harsh terrain. The move has only strengthened their commitment to make meaningful films that appeal to the thinking audience.
A strong advocate of realism, Samira believes in bringing her stories to life with authentic characters and that is probably why she literally picks her actors off the streets. The hope to make a difference to the lives of people and sensitizing people towards certain issues are the driving forces behind Samira's work. It is no wonder then that her films revolve around thought provoking facets of life such as relationships, violence and strife.
Samira Makhmalbaf: Filmography
Her foray in to filmmaking at the age of 17 and her directorial debut The Apple which was screened at Cannes gave audiences a glimpse of what this young director was capable of. A critically acclaimed film based on a true story of two sisters whose parents kept them isolated from society right from birth, "The Apple" had all the ingredients of a thought-provoking film.
Her second film, Blackboards depicted the harsh struggle of the Kurds along the Iran-Iraq border while her next film At Five in the Afternoon told the tale of four Afghans: an old cart driver, his daughter, his daughter-in-law, and her infant child through which the misery of the Afghan people was brought to life.
Two-Legged Horse, her other internationally acclaimed film, tells the story of the relationship between a poor boy, who is hired to carry a disabled boy on his back. The poignant film tells the story of the relationship between the two boys.
Awards & Accolades
Samira directed her debut film at the age of 17 and a year later, she went on to become the youngest director in the world to participate in the official section of the Cannes Film Festival. Winning the Jury Prize at Cannes for her second feature film, The Blackboard in 2000 made Samira the youngest film director to win such an award.
Her next venture At Five in the Afternoon was set in a post-Taliban Afghanistan and won the Jury Prize at Cannes. The film also bagged the Golden Peacock for Best Film at the International Film Festival of India in New Delhi.
Deeply affected and driven by her passion for film making, Samira believes film making is an art and certainly believes in stamping her work with excellence.