Rakhshān Banietemad

Rakhshān Banietemad is a prominent Iranian film director and screenwriter. She is frequently called the "First Lady of Iranian Cinema." This title recognizes her significant influence on the country's film industry. Her work is known for merging political themes with personal and family narratives. She uses cinema to explore deep societal issues through diverse characters. These characters often represent different segments of Iranian society.

Banietemad employs a unique cinematic style that blends documentary techniques with fictional filmmaking. She often uses characters that directly address the camera. This technique contrasts with standard documentary conventions. Many of her fictional stories are inspired by real people she encountered while making documentaries. For instance, the character Nargess in her 1991 film was inspired by a documentary about homeless women. The character Touba in *Under the Skin of the City* (2001) came from a documentary about working women. Even the character "Kabootar" in *The Blue Veiled* (1995) was inspired by a real person named "Mr. Ghodrat."

Her films examine complex social realities and hardships. She focuses on the lives of the lower classes, single mothers, and single women. Her stories often look at the relationship between mothers and children. This theme is rooted in her own experience as a mother in Iran. She also addresses issues like poverty, war, domestic abuse, and social mobility. While she shows harsh realities, she often includes a sense of hope for change. Banietemad views Iranian women as central to the nation's future. She highlights their strength and resilience, though she rejects the label of "feminist filmmaker."

Banietemad's path to directing involved several academic steps. She was born on April 3, 1954, in Tehran, Iran. She initially planned to study architecture. However, she also took an intensive stage assistance course at the School of Television and Cinema. She was one of only 20 students accepted into that course. Eventually, she chose to focus on film directing at the Dramatic Arts University in Tehran. In 1973, she began her career as a script supervisor for the IRIB television network. She directed her first feature film, *Off the Limits*, in 1987.

Her career is marked by many historic achievements and international awards. In 1991, she won the Best Director Award at the Fajr Film Festival. This was the first time in the festival's history that a woman received this prize. In 1995, she won a Bronze Leopard at the Locarno Film Festival for *The Blue Veiled*. Her 2001 film, *Under the Skin of the City*, won the Best Foreign Language Film and Audience awards at the Turin Film Festival. In 2002, she made history with her documentary *Our Times*. This was the first documentary to be released in Iranian theaters. It was also featured at the Sundance Film Festival.

In the 2010s, Banietemad continued to produce significant works. Her 2014 film *Tales* was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 71st Venice International Film Festival. *Tales* is unique because it intertwines seven different stories. Notable female characters from her previous films reappear in this movie. This technique reinforces the historical and cultural impact of her work. She also continues to work in documentaries. She collaborated with young filmmakers on the series *The Karastan* from 2013 to 2017.

Beyond her art, Banietemad uses her success for humanitarian purposes. She has donated her international prize money to build a shelter for homeless women. She also donated other awards to assist disadvantaged women. Her daughter, Baran Kosari, is a professional actress who has appeared in her mother's films. Banietemad's work remains connected to the broader social and political fabric of Iran. She navigates the lines of Iranian censorship to bring important stories to the screen. Her legacy is one of both artistic innovation and social advocacy.