Rakhshan BaniEtemad

Rakhshan Bani-Etemad is an internationally and critically acclaimed Iranian film director and screenwriter. She is considered Iran's premier female director, and her films have been praised at international festivals as well as being popular with Iranian critics and audiences. Her title as First Lady of Iranian Cinema is a reference to her prominence as a filmmaker. In conjunction with her documentary approach to fictional film, Bani-Etemads signature style consists of films that deal with social issues specific to Iran yet still maintain broad international appeal. She has directed 13 films and has been internationally recognized for her work with awards. In the process of dramatizing reality, she applies documentary conventions to reflect reality intimately. To accommodate documentary conventions, her characters directly address the camera. Her upcoming film Tales has been selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 71st Venice International Film Festival.