Rakhshān Banietemad facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rakhshan Banietemad رخشان بنی‌اعتماد
Banietemad, March 2014
Born	Rakhshan Banietemad (1954-04-03) April 3, 1954 (age 71) Tehran, Iran
Occupation	Film director Producer Screenwriter
Spouse(s)	Jahangir Kosari (1979–present)
Children	Baran (b. 1985) Tandis (b. 1975)

Rakhshan Banietemad (Persian: رخشان بنی‌اعتماد) was born on April 3, 1954, in Tehran, Iran. She is a famous Iranian film director and screenwriter. Many people call her the "First Lady of Iranian Cinema." This is because she has played a very important role in Iran's film industry. She is known for mixing big social and political ideas with stories about families and people's lives.

Banietemad's films often look at different issues in society. These include the changing roles of women, poverty, and the effects of war. Her movies also show how people try to improve their lives. She often balances showing tough realities with a feeling of hope for a better future.

Many of her films focus on women. Characters like Tooba, Nobar, and Sara show different parts of women's lives in Iran. These characters sometimes appear again in her later films. This helps to show how Iranian society and culture have changed over time.

Her 2002 film Our Times was a special movie. It was the first documentary film ever shown in movie theaters in Iran.

Early Life and Education

Rakhshan Banietemad grew up in Tehran, Iran. She was born on April 3, 1954. Her parents wanted her to become a teacher. But Rakhshan was interested in films from a young age.

As a teenager, she decided to study film. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in film studies. This was from the Dramatic Arts University in Tehran. She first thought about studying architecture. But then she took an exam for a stage assistance course. She was one of only 20 students accepted. She studied both architecture and stage assistance. The next year, she chose to focus on film directing.

Career Highlights

Starting in Film (1970s and 1980s)

In 1973, after finishing her degree, Banietemad started working. She was a script supervisor for the Iranian television network IRIB. Later, in 1980, she began directing TV documentaries. Her films always show a deep understanding of Iran's society and economy.

In 1981, Banietemad started working in cinema. She was a script supervisor on films like The Liegemen. She directed her first full-length movie, Off the Limits, in 1987. She then directed Canary Yellow in 1988.

Gaining Fame (1990s and 2000s)

Banietemad became very well-known in 1991 with her film Nargess. She won the Best Director Award at the Fajr International Film Festival. This was a big moment because she was the first woman to win this award in the festival's history.

Since then, she has won many awards for her films. She received a Bronze Leopard Award for The Blue-Veiled in 1995. In 2001, she won the Best Foreign Language Film Award for Under the Skin of the City.

Her 2002 documentary Our Times was very important. It was the first time a female filmmaker directly talked about the Iran-Iraq war. This film was also the first documentary ever shown in Iranian movie theaters. It was also shown at big film festivals like IDFA and Sundance. Banietemad is seen as a filmmaker who pushes the boundaries of what is allowed by Iranian film rules.

Her 2004 film, Gilaneh, is considered an anti-war film. It won a special jury prize at the Fajr Film Festival.

Recent Work (2010s to Present)

Banietemad continued to direct films in the 2010s. These include Mainline and Tales. In Tales (2014), she wove together seven different stories. Some of her famous female characters from past films appeared again. This showed how important her work is for showing women in Iranian cinema. Tales was chosen to compete for the Golden Lion award at the 71st Venice International Film Festival.

She also kept making documentaries. She worked with younger filmmakers on Hey, Humans (2016). She also worked on The Karastan film series (2013-2017).

Filmmaking Style

Banietemad has a special way of making films. She mixes documentary techniques with fictional storytelling. Her movies often show the difficulties faced by people in Iran's lower classes. She also focuses on single women and single mothers. She explores complex family relationships. Sometimes, her characters even talk directly to the camera. This is different from typical documentaries.

Her films also look at the strong connections between mothers and their children. This theme comes from her own experiences as a mother in Iran. This focus shows how Iranian women are expected to balance their personal lives with their roles as mothers.

Banietemad has said that real people she met while making documentaries inspire her feature films. For example, the story of Nargess came from a documentary about homeless women. The character of Touba in Under the Skin of the City was inspired by working women.

Banietemad is known for creating strong female characters. She believes Iranian women are key to the country's future. She often shows their strength and ability to overcome challenges.

Even though her work features strong women, Banietemad does not like to be called a "feminist" filmmaker. She has said she is uncomfortable with this word in Iran. Instead, she focuses on the struggles of all people in society, no matter their gender. She prefers not to be put into any specific category.

Personal Life

Rakhshan Banietemad is married to Jahangir Kosari. He is also an Iranian film producer. Their daughter, Baran Kosari, is a well-known Iranian film actress. Baran started acting when she was young. She has appeared in her mother's films and many others.

Helping Others

Banietemad has used her success to help people. She donated her international prize for the movie Ghesseh-ha. This money helped build a shelter for women who do not have homes. She has also given other awards to help women who are struggling.

Filmography

Feature films

Documentaries

• Karestan Documentary films (artistic consultant), 2013–17:
  • Poets of Life
  • Puzzleys
  • Mother of the Earth
  • MAHAK: A World She Founded
  • Friends at Work
  • Flax to Fire
• Hey, Humans (Ay, Adamha), 2016
• One Hour in a Lifetime (Yek saat az yek omr), 2015
• All My Trees (Hameh derakhtan-e man), 2015
• The Other Side of Mirrors (An sooy-e ayeneh ha), 2014
• The Mirrors Recital (Concert-e ayeneh ha), 2014
• The Concert of the Lords of Secrets (concert-e khodavandan-e asrar), 2014
• Mahak My Home (Khaneh man Mahak), a teamwork, 2014
• Keep Children in School (Bacheh ha ra dar madreseh negahdarim), a teamwork, 2012
• The Room No. 202 (Otahgh-e 202), part of Kahrizak 4 Views, 2012
• I’ll see you Tomorrow Elina (Farda mibinamet Elina), 2010
• We Are Half of Iran's Population (Ma nimi az jameiat-e Iranim), 2009
• Angels of the House of Sun (Hayat khalvate khaneh khorshid), 2009
• Second Home (producer), Director: Mahvash Sheikholeslami, 2008
• 3D Carpet (Farsh-e 3 Bodi), Part of "Iranian Carpet", 2007
• Our Times… (Ruzegar-e ma…), 2002
• The Last Visit with Iran Daftari (Akharin didar ba Iran Daftari), 1995
• To Whom Do You Show These Films? (In filmha ra beh ki neshun midin?), 1993
• Spring to Spring (Bahar ta bahar), 1993
• The 1992 Report (Gozaresh-e 71), 1993
• Centralization (Tamarkoz), 1986
• The War Economic Planning (Tadbirha-ye eqtesadi-e jang), 1981
• Occupation of Migrant Peasants in the City (Mohajerin-e roustai dar shahr),1980
• The Culture of Consumption (Farhang-e masrafi), 1979

Awards and Recognition

Rakhshan Banietemad has received many awards for her films. Some of her notable awards include:

• Best Director for Nargess at the Fajr International Film Festival (1991).
• Bronze Leopard for The Blue Veiled at the Locarno International Film Festival (1995).
• Special Jury Prize for The May Lady at the Fajr International Film Festival (1997).
• Best Director for Under the Skin of the City at the Iranian Cinema Festival (2000).
• Best Screenplay for Tales at the Venice International Film Festival (2014).
• She received an honorary degree from SOAS in 2008.
• She was the Chairperson of the International jury at the 52nd International Film Festival of India in Goa in 2021.

Professional Roles

Banietemad has also served as a jury member at many international film festivals. These include the Venice International Film Festival (Italy), Busan International Film Festival (South Korea), and Dubai International Film Festival (UAE). She became an Academy Oscars Member in the Writers Branch in 2017.

See also

In Spanish: Rakhshān Banietemad para niños