Hengameh Mofid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hengameh Mofid
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| هنگامه مفيد | |
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| Born | 22 December 1955 Tehran, Imperial State of Iran
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| Occupation | Actress, director, dramatist, university tutor. |
| Spouse(s) |
Kambiz Samimi Mofakham
(died 1997) |
| Children | 3 including Yashar Samimi Mofakham, Idin Samimi Mofakham, Alma Samimi Mofakham |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Bijan Mofid (brother) Bahman Mofid (brother) |
Hengameh Mofid, born on December 22, 1955, is a famous Iranian actress, director, and writer for films and plays. She is also a musician and teaches at universities.
Contents
Who is Hengameh Mofid?
Hengameh Mofid was born in January 1956 in Tehran, Iran. Her father, Gholamhossein Mofid, was a well-known actor and teacher. Her mother, Ghodssiyeh Farivar, was a high school headmistress. Her family is very famous in Iranian theater and cinema.
Her brothers, Bijan, Bahman, and Ardavan, also work in theater. Their father and oldest brother, Bijan Mofid, who was a very important Iranian playwright, encouraged them to join the arts.
Early Life and Career
Hengameh grew up in a family that loved art. She studied at the Tehran Conservatory and then at Art College. While studying, she joined a special theater group for children. This group was part of the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA), also known as Kanoon.
This group was led by an American director, Don Roger Laffoon. There, she met Kambiz Samimi Mofakham, who later became her husband. They got married in 1977 and have three children. All their children are also involved in the arts.
The Kanoon Theater group was the best in children's theater. They put on many great shows like Shāparak Khānoum (Miss Butterfly) and The Cloak of Thousand Tales. They also performed in international festivals in places like Hamburg, Wales, and Sydney. They even held workshops for children around the world.
Expanding Her Work
After the Iranian Revolution, Hengameh left Kanoon because it became less active. She continued her career as a voice actress for story records. She also recorded a popular children's song album called "Little Songs." This album is still very popular for children's music in Iran.
She also started teaching in kindergartens and elementary schools. This led her to open a private kindergarten with her husband and twin brother, Houman. She was the headmistress there for five years.
Since 1983, Hengameh has worked a lot with the children's department of IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting). She has written, acted, directed, and composed songs for them. She says that teaching children helped her stay connected to their imaginative world. Her special ability to think like both a child and an adult made her a successful writer for kids.
Hengameh created many beloved characters. These characters are still remembered by three generations of children. They have funny ways of talking and simple, clever conversations. They teach important lessons without being too serious.
Hengameh believes that "Storytelling is one of the oldest and most effective forms of art." She also said, "Storytelling is a direct connection between children and grownups."
After the 1979 Revolution, many universities closed for about ten years. Because of this, Hengameh Mofid could not finish her studies right away. She finally graduated from the University of Tehran in Dramatic Literature in 1988.
Since 2000, Hengameh Mofid has also been teaching. She teaches theater, music, and playwriting at art universities. She also works with amateur theater groups, teaching them about voice and acting.
What Has She Created?
Hengameh Mofid has done many different things in her career. Here is a short list of her works.
Literary Works for TV Shows
She has written and directed many puppet and live-action TV series:
- The Farm of Bibi Khanoon (first and second seasons)
- Night Time Stories
- Flower Time
- The Little Cook (live TV series)
- Dara & Sara (live TV series)
- Sootak & Tootak
She has also been a scriptwriter, voice actress, songwriter, and music composer for other TV series:
- Cloud, Wind, Moon And Sun
- Sonny And Daddy
- Miss Nazanin
- Water, Water, Life
- Mr. Mabaada
- Gholamhossein Khan Asl Tehrani
- Hooshi, Gooshi and Mom
- Grannie's House
- The Adventures Of Taghi Jan
- Lazybones
- The Singing Bialou
- The Drifters
Voice Acting Roles
Hengameh Mofid has lent her voice to many characters:
- Allesoon & Vallesoon
- The Starling And The Wise Hoopoe
- The Itsy-Bitsy Sparrow
Plays She Appeared In
From 1971 to 1978, she acted in many plays for children and young adults with the Kanoon group:
- The Butterfly
- The Turnip
- Kouti & Mouti
- Rise And Shine Miss Sun
- An Event In The Puppet Town
- The Cloak Of Thousand Tales
- The Robots
- Maktab Khaneh
- Aria De Capo
- The Eagle And The Fox
- The Sleeping Luck
- Rostam & Sohraab
She also acted in plays for adults:
- The Moon And The Leopard (1971)
- Sohraab, Horse And Dragonfly (1978)
Music and Directing
She has written songs and composed music for:
- The Gold Tooth (2001)
- A Tableau of Love (2002)
She directed the play The Eagle And The Fox in 2004. She also wrote Pahlevan Kachal and Ververeh Jadoo.
Cinema Work
Hengameh Mofid has worked on several films:
- The Drifters (as scriptwriter, songwriter, and voice actress)
- Once Upon a Time (songwriter and voice actress)
- Children of Iran (as narrator)
- Lala & Loulou (as narrator and voice actress)
- The Refugee (as actress)
- Golnaar (voice actress)
- Squash Girl (voice actress)
Children's Story Albums
She has recorded many popular children's story albums:
- The Butterfly
- The Turnip
- Kouti & Mouti
- The Wonderful Farm
- First Fly
- Little Songs (favorite nursery songs)
Other albums include:
- The Sparrow And The Cotton Boll (as Narrator)
- Six Raven Chicks And a Fox
- A Children's Tale
- Golnaar
Teaching and Other Activities
Hengameh Mofid has a strong background in education:
- She was an art teacher in elementary schools.
- She supervised kindergartens for the Ministry of Education.
- She owned and was the headmistress of a private kindergarten for five years.
- She was also the headmistress and supervisor at the "Behesht Cultural Centre."
- She has organized workshops at the Tehran International Puppet Theatre Festival.
She teaches puppet theater and performing arts at:
- Soureh Art University
- University of Tehran, Faculty of Fine Art
- Art University, Faculty of Cinema & Theater
Other Important Activities
From 1971 to 1978, she was a member of the professional children's theater group at Kanoon. She also took part in international theater festivals in Hamburg, Wales, and Sydney. She participated in a Folklore dance Festival in Australia.
More recently, she has been a member of the selection committee for the Tehran International Puppet Festival for University Students in 2005. She was also on the selection committee for The Mobarak Unima International Puppet Festival in 2006.
Awards and Honors
Hengameh Mofid has received many awards for her work:
- An Honorary Title and Highest Insignia from the Academy of Dramatic Arts for her lifelong achievements in dramatic arts.
- An Honorary Title and Highest Insignia from the International Puppet Theater of Tehran.
- An Honorary Title and Highest Insignia from the Municipality of Tehran for her lifelong achievements in arts.
- The Best Play award for writing "Girls from the Gardens of Carpet" at the Fajr International Festival.
- The Best Directing award for "Night Time Stories" at The Fourth Television Festival.
See also
- List of Iranians
- List of Persian poets and authors
