Bahman Ghobadi, a renowned filmmaker, was born in 1969 in Baneh, a town nestled in the province of Iranian Kurdistan, situated near the Iran-Iraq border. Following his graduation from the prestigious National Audiovisual School, he embarked on his cinematic journey by creating his inaugural short film, which garnered widespread acclaim from local critics.
One of his earliest short films, "Life in Fog" (1999),is widely regarded as the most celebrated short film ever produced in Iran, cementing Ghobadi's status as a rising talent in the country's film industry. This initial success enabled him to transition to feature-length films, with his debut feature, "A Time for Drunken Horses" (2000),making history as the first Kurdish film in the history of Iran.
Ghobadi's subsequent films continued to garner international recognition, earning dozens of awards and accolades at various film festivals. However, despite their critical acclaim, his films received limited exposure or were even banned in his native country. His most recent film, "No One Knows About Persian Cats" (2009),is a semi-documentary that offers a fascinating glimpse into the underground indie music scene in Tehran, shot rapidly and feverishly without official permission.
