Mohsen Makhmalbaf facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mohsen Makhmalbāf
محسن مخملباف
Born	(1957-05-29) May 29, 1957 (age 68) Tehran, Imperial State of Iran
Nationality	Iranian
Years active	1981–present
Political party	Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization (1979–1980s)
Spouse(s)	Fatemeh Meshkini ​ ​ (m. 1978; died 1982)​ Marzieh Meshkini ​ (m. 1987)​
Children	Samira Meysam Hana
Awards	Freedom to Create Prize Federico Fellini Honour

Mohsen Makhmalbaf (Persian: محسن مخملباف, Mohsen Makhmalbaaf; born May 29, 1957) is a famous Iranian film director, writer, and producer. He has made over 20 movies and won many awards. His films are known around the world.

Some of his well-known films are Close-Up (1990) and Kandahar. His recent works include the documentary The Gardener and the movie The President.

Makhmalbaf's movies are often shown at big international film festivals. He is part of the new wave movement in Iranian cinema. Time magazine even called his 2001 film Kandahar one of the top 100 films ever made. In 2006, he helped judge films at the Venice Film Festival.

He left Iran in 2005 and has lived in Paris since 2009.

Mohsen Makhmalbaf's Life Story

Mohsen Makhmalbaf as a child

Mohsen Makhmalbaf was born in Tehran, Iran, on May 29, 1957. When he was 15, he joined a group that was fighting against the government of the Shah of Iran. At 17, he was put in prison for his actions.

He was sentenced to a long time in prison. However, he was released after five years because of the Iranian Revolution. He later left Iran in 2005.

His Career in Filmmaking

Makhmalbaf is a very important person in Iranian cinema. His films often explore how individuals relate to their society and political world. His movies show how Iran and its people have changed over time.

He has worked in many different film styles. These include realistic films, fantasy, and even surreal movies. He often focuses on themes like childhood and the art of filmmaking itself.

In 1981, he wrote his first movie script called Towjeeh. In 1983, he directed his first film, Tobeh Nosuh. His 1985 film, Boycott, is set before the revolution. It tells the story of a young man accused of being a Communist. Many believe this film is based on Makhmalbaf's own experiences.

In The Cyclist (1987), Makhmalbaf shows human struggles and strength. The movie is about Nasim, a poor Afghan refugee in Iran. He needs money for his sick wife. Nasim agrees to ride a bicycle in a small circle for a whole week to earn the money.

In 1989, another Iranian director, Abbas Kiarostami, heard a strange story. A man in Tehran pretended to be Makhmalbaf. Kiarostami made this story into a film called Close-Up in 1990. Makhmalbaf himself even appeared in the final scene of the movie. Close-Up is now seen as a masterpiece of world cinema.

Time of Love (1991) was Makhmalbaf's ninth movie. He called it the start of his "third period" of filmmaking. It's a romantic story told in three different ways.

Hana Makhmalbaf, Marzieh Meshkini and Mohsen Makhmalbaf receiving an award in 2009

In 1996, Makhmalbaf directed Gabbeh. This film is about the nomadic Ghashghai people. Their colorful carpets tell stories. The movie shows a young woman who loves a stranger but cannot marry him. The film feels like a dream, with events moving freely through time and space.

Makhmalbaf took a break from directing in 1996 to start the Makhmalbaf Film House. This was a school for young filmmakers. It soon became a production company for his family members who also became filmmakers. In 1997, his 17-year-old daughter, Samira, directed The Apple. Mohsen helped her by writing the script and editing. His wife, Marziyeh Meshkini, also became a director after assisting her daughter.

Kandahar (2001) is a fictional story inspired by real events in Afghanistan. It shows how the Taliban government took away women's rights. The film follows an Afghan woman who returns to her country during a special event.

His Views on the Revolution

In the early years after the revolution in Iran, Makhmalbaf's films were seen as important revolutionary art. He was a strong voice for the new cultural ideas in Iran.

However, over time, Makhmalbaf became disappointed with the Islamic government. By the early 1990s, he was one of the most open critics of the government in Iran.

Political Views and Activism

In December 2023, Mohsen Makhmalbaf joined 50 other filmmakers. They signed a letter asking for peace and an end to violence in the Gaza Strip. They also asked for help to reach people in Gaza and for hostages to be released.

Awards and Honors

• Mohsen Makhmalbaf was chosen as the best filmmaker after the revolution by cinema readers in 1988.
• His film A Moment of Innocence was named among the Top Ten Films of the Decade in 1999.
• He received the "Federico Fellini Honor" from UNESCO in Paris in 2001.
• He won the "Freedom to Create Prize" in 2009 for using his art to promote human rights and social justice.
• He received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Cinema from Nanterre University, France, in 2010.
• He received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Literature from St Andrews University, Scotland, in 2011.

Recent Honors

• He was a Jury member at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival. He helped judge films in the 'BIFF Mecenat Award' section.

Filmography

Films Banned in Iran Some of Mohsen Makhmalbaf's films have been banned in Iran for different periods:

• The Nights of Zayande-rood (1990), banned since 1990
• Time of Love (1991), banned since 1991
• Once Upon a Time, Cinema (1992), banned from 1992 until 1993
• A Moment of Innocence (1996), banned from 1996 until 1997
• The Silence (1998), banned from 1998 until 2000
• The Gardener (2012), banned since 2012

Film Appearances Mohsen Makhmalbaf has also appeared in some films, including ones he directed:

• Marriage of the Blessed (1989), directed by himself
• Close-Up (1990), directed by Abbas Kiarostami
• Hello Cinema (1995), directed by himself
• A Moment of Innocence (1996), directed by himself
• Tales of an Island (2000), directed by himself and Dariush Mehrjui

Images for kids

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  Mohsen Makhmalbaf in the early years of the Iranian revolution. His first wife Fatemeh Meshkini and his children Samira and Maysam are also in the picture.

See also

In Spanish: Mohsen Makhmalbaf para niños

• Cinema of Iran