Majid Majidi

**Majid Majidi** is a renowned Iranian filmmaker, producer, and screenwriter who has left an indelible mark within the international cinema community with his touching themes and diverse genre styles. Born within a Persian middle-class family in Talesh, Iran, Majidi discovered his passion for storytelling at an early age, which led him to explore acting in amateur theater groups by the time he was 14. He pursued further understanding of the arts by studying at the esteemed Institute of Dramatic Arts in Tehran, thereby solidifying his commitment to his craft. After the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Majidi demonstrated his artistic resilience by delving into the film industry, where he played various roles in several Iranian films, including the internationally acclaimed Boycott by Mohsen Makhmalbaf. Majidi's directorial prowess came to global recognition in 1997 when his film, Children of Heaven, became the first Iranian film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. This path-breaking director has since developed several significant feature films, including The Color of Paradise, Baran, and The Willow Tree, and a remarkable documentary, Barefoot to Herat. Most notably in 2008, his film, The Song of Sparrows, was recognized internationally and served as the opening film at the Visakhapatnam International Film Festival in India.