Mehdi Norowzian, a renowned artist and filmmaker, was born in Tehran, where he resided until the age of sixteen. His early life was marked by the loss of his father at the tender age of nine, leaving him with limited recollections of the event. However, his mother, Azra, played a pivotal role in his life, encouraging him to pursue his passion for art and painting. She gifted him a book of paintings by early Russian classic painters, which had a lasting impact on his artistic development.
In 1973, his mother sent him to London to fulfill his dream of becoming an artist, packing up some of his paintings and providing him with the opportunity to flourish in a new environment. Mehdi's introduction to film came during his final year of a fine art course at Hornsey College of Art in London, followed by a three-year MA film course at the Royal College of Art, where he experimented with visual storytelling.
David Lean and Ridley Scott, two esteemed filmmakers, presented Mehdi with his MA certificate, a cherished memory for him. After completing his studies, Mehdi worked as an assistant director before returning to his own projects, creating several experimental films. His work eventually led him to be signed to direct commercials, where he collaborated with some of the biggest names in the industry.
Mehdi's soulful, striking, and sophisticated work earned him international acclaim and multiple awards, solidifying his position as one of the top 30 Commercial Directors according to D & AD. He then teamed up with his college friend and writer, Chris Fallon, to direct Chris's Oscar-nominated short film, Killing Joe (1999),which brought Mehdi to the attention of Hollywood.
This success led to Mehdi directing the critically acclaimed independent feature film, Leo (2002),starring Joseph Fiennes, Elisabeth Shue, Dennis Hopper, and Sam Shepard, which premiered at the Toronto and London Film Festival. Mehdi is currently working on three projects in development, including a feature film thriller, a historical epic, and an original sci-fi film.
