Samira Makhmalbaf facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Samira Makhmalbaf
سمیرا مخملباف
Makhmalbaf in 2020
Born	(1980-02-15) 15 February 1980 (age 45) Tehran, Iran
Alma mater	Roehampton University
Occupation	Filmmaker
Years active	1998–2008
Parent(s)	Mohsen Makhmalbaf (father) Fatemeh Meshkini (mother)
Relatives	Hana Makhmalbaf (sister) Meysam Makhmalbaf (brother)

Samira Makhmalbaf (born February 15, 1980) is a famous filmmaker and screenwriter from Iran. She is known for being part of the Iranian New Wave, a movement of filmmakers who created movies in new and artistic ways.

Samira is the daughter of Mohsen Makhmalbaf, who is also a well-known film director. She has won many awards for her work, including two major prizes at the famous Cannes Film Festival.

Early Life and Education

Samira Makhmalbaf was born in Tehran, the capital city of Iran. Growing up, she was always around movies because of her father's work. She would join him on film sets and watch him edit his films. Her first experience in cinema was at age seven, when she acted in her father's movie, The Cyclist.

When she was 14, Samira decided to leave high school to focus completely on learning about film. She studied for five years at the Makhmalbaf Film House, a film school run by her family. Later, at age 20, she moved to London to study Psychology and Law at Roehampton University.

Film Career

First Movie: The Apple

At just 17 years old, Samira directed her first feature film, The Apple. The movie was a huge success and was shown at the Cannes Film Festival, one of the most important film festivals in the world.

The Apple was shown at over 100 film festivals and in more than 30 countries. The film's success showed that a new generation of filmmakers was rising in Iran.

Award-Winning Films

Samira continued to make powerful films that won awards. She was nominated for the top prize at Cannes, the Golden Palm, for two of her movies:

• Blackboards (2000)
• At Five in the Afternoon (2003)

Both of these films won the Jury Prize at Cannes, which is a very high honor. She also won the Sutherland Trophy at the London Film Festival for The Apple and a special UNESCO award for her work on the film 11'09"01 September 11. In 2003, the British newspaper The Guardian named her one of the 40 best directors in the world.

Facing Danger in Afghanistan

While filming Two-Legged Horse in Afghanistan, Samira and her crew faced a dangerous situation. An explosive device was thrown onto the set, injuring six people and a horse. It was a very frightening experience for everyone.

Samira said, "I saw little boys falling to the ground, and the whole street was full of blood... My first thought was that I wouldn't see my father anymore." Despite the danger, she was determined to finish her movie. The film was completed and released in 2008.

Her Unique Filmmaking Style

Samira Makhmalbaf is known for a special style of filmmaking that mixes real life with fiction. She often uses non-professional actors—everyday people instead of famous stars—to make her films feel more realistic.

Her movies often explore important themes like poverty, human rights, and the need for progress and change. For example, her film At Five in the Afternoon is about a young woman in Afghanistan who wants to get an education at a modern school.

Samira believes that mixing imagination with reality creates powerful stories. She once explained that an idea for a film might seem strange, like teachers carrying blackboards on their backs, but it connects to a real-life struggle. In this way, her films are like poems that show the deep truths of people's lives.

Personal Life and Activism

Samira's father, Mohsen Makhmalbaf, was married to her mother, Fatemeh Meshkini. They had three children: Samira, Meysam, and Hana. All of them became involved in filmmaking. Sadly, Samira's mother died in an accident when Samira was very young. Her father later married her mother's sister, Marziyeh Meshkini, who is also a filmmaker.

Throughout her life, Samira has been a strong voice for women's rights. She has spoken about the challenges women face in Iran but also about their strength. She believes that art and film can create deeper change than politics. "The movies I make are deeper," she said. "This kind of work can live longer and deeper than that kind of journalistic work."

She also used her films to show the reality of life in places like Afghanistan after the Taliban. She wanted to show that even though the government had changed, many old ideas about the roles of men and women still existed in the culture.

Filmography

Major Awards

See also

In Spanish: Samira Makhmalbaf para niños