Samira Makhmalbaf: World is her oyster

In a very short span, the Iranian film-maker Samira Makhmalbaf has created a niche for herself on the international arena.

Samira Makhmalbaf Samira Makhmalbaf, daughter of renowned Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf, ventured into cinema at the age of eight by playing a cameo in her father's film Bicycleran. She quit school at the age of 15 because she realized that her teachers are incompetent and can't teach her anything. She joined her father as an assistant and learned the methods of movie making. She also did a course in filmmaking from a private school. Her first two works were short video films - a drama entitled Desert and a documentary entitled Style in Painting. Her first feature film Sib, released in 1998 (The Apple), was a mega hit, and won several awards in many international film festivals. She was also the youngest member of the jury at the Locarno International Film Festival in 1998. Apple was followed by Blackboard. She was the youngest ever director to compete for the prestigious Palme d'Or for her feature film Blackboard in 2000. The film received Jury Prize.  She was awarded the Jury Prize from French actress Judith Godrèche for her latest film Five in the Afternoon, which is a moving tale of Noqreh, a progressive young woman. In a very short span, the Iranian film-maker Samira Makhmalbaf has created a niche for herself on the international arena. FILMOGRAPHY The Apple  The Blackboard  God, Construction and Destruction  Five in the afternoon