ABOUT US

Sharmin
Director & Producer

Sharmin Mojtahedzadeh is a freelance filmmaker and photographer. With MBA degree and over 11 years of experience in Industrial Management, in 2012 she quit this field to pursue her dream of making films and photography. Her body of work focuses mostly on aspects of humanity that have rarely been told as well as human rights.

Filmography:
– Life In War, Multimedia, 2013, 10min, (Director)
– Life as Gift, Documentary, 2013, 17min, (Co-Director, Cameraman and Producer)
– Boat Raising Sails, Video Art, 2016, 6min (Director and Cameraman)
– I Am An Addicted Woman, Documentary, In Post-Production Phase, 90 min (Director and Cameraman)
– The Wind Catchers of Tehran, Documentary, 40 min., 2017 (Director and Producer)
– The Football Aficionado, 86 min, Documentary, 2022 (Director & Producer)
– “Makhoola” Rises!, Documentary, 2024 (Executive Producer)
– Re-Cinema, Documentary, 2024 (Executive Producer)
– The Scar, Fiction, 2024 (Executive Producer)

Festivals:
– Busan International Film Festival, 2022, Busan, Republic of Korea
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection and Best Documentary Award
– Madrid International Festival of Independent Cinema (FICIMAD), 2024, Spain
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection and Best Documentary Film
– Cinema of The World Film Festival, 2023, India
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection and Best Documentary Film (Sport)
– Northern Character International Film Festival, 2024, Russia
 The Football Aficionado – Diploma for Strong Character and Love for Football
– Thinking Football Film Festival Bilbao, (2024), Spain
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Iranian Documentary Film Festival Munich, 2024, Germany
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Beeston Film Festival, 2024, UK
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– IAWRT Asian Woman Film Festival, 2024, India
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Impacte Human Rights Film Festival of Catalonia, 2024, Spain
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Ecrans Des Mondes Documentary Film Festival, 2024, France
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Festival del Cinema dei Diritti Umani di Napoli, 2023, Italy
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Kenya International Sports Film Festival, 2023, Kenya
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– International Documentary Film Festival Flahertiana, 2023, Perm, Russia
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Cinema Iran Film Festival, 2023, Munich, Germany
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Kerala International Documentary & Short Film Festival, 2023, Kerala, India
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Feminist Border Arts Film Festival, 2017, New Mexico, US
Boat Raising Sails – Official Selection
– Half Festival of Short Films, 2017, Kerala, India
Boat Raising Sails – Official Selection and Second Place
– Action on Film (AOF) Film Festival, 2016 & 2017, California, US
Life as Gift – Official Selection
Boat Raising Sails – Official Selection
– Venice International Experimental Art Festival, 2016-2017, Venice, Italy
Boat Raising Sails – Official Selection
– Salamat Film Festival, 2015, Neyshabour, Iran
Life as Gift – Official Selection and First Prize
– Iranian Independent Female Filmmakers Festival, 2014, Switzerland
Life as Gift – Official Selection

Paliz
Director & Producer

Paliz Khoshdel is a freelance filmmaker, DOP, Editor and Producer. He started his career on 2001 by making videos but also ethnographic and historical films.
Since 2009, he has been working as documentary and experimental filmmaker and producer. Many of his films are about Iranian youth and their underground activities.

Filmography:
– Ancient Heritage, 20 min, Short Documentary, 2008 (Director and Producer)
– Street Sultans, 40 min, Documentary, 2010 (Co-Director and Co-Producer)
– On Underground, 40 min, Documentary, 2012 (Producer)
– Mutiny of Colors, 70 min, Documentary, 2017 (Co-Director and Co-Producer)
– The Football Aficionado, 86 min, Documentary, 2022 (Director & Producer)
– “Makhoola” Rises!, 70 min, Documentary, 2024 (Director and Producer)
– Re-Cinema, Documentary, (Editor)
– The Scar, Fiction, (Editor & Producer)
 
Festivals:
– Busan International Film Festival, 2022, Busan, Republic of Korea
The Football Aficionado – Best Documentary Award (Mecenat Award)
– Madrid International Festival of Independent Cinema (FICIMAD), 2024, Spain
The Football Aficionado – Best Documentary Film
– Cinema of The World Film Festival, 2023, India
The Football Aficionado – Best Documentary Film (Sport)
– Northern Character International Film Festival, 2024, Russia
 The Football Aficionado – Diploma for Strong Character and Love for Football
– Six Weeks of Iranian Art, Canada Film Festival (2012)
Street Sultans – Best Film Award
– Canada’s 2nd Iranian Film Festival (2010)
Street Sultans – Certificate of Achievement
– City International Film Festival (2011)
Street Sultans – Best Semi–Long Director Award
– Iranian Cinema Ceremony, House of Cinema (2011)
Street Sultans – Best Semi-Long Documentary Film Award
– Iranian Critics and Writers Association (2010)
Street Sultans – Best Film Award
– The “Image of the Year” Festival (2010)
Street Sultans – Best Semi-Long Film Award
– Thinking Football Film Festival Bilbao, (2024), Spain
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Iranian Documentary Film Festival Munich, 2024, Germany
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Beeston Film Festival, 2024, UK
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– IAWRT Asian Woman Film Festival, 2024, India
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Impacte Human Rights Film Festival of Catalonia, 2024, Spain
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Ecrans Des Mondes Documentary Film Festival, 2024, France
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Festival del Cinema dei Diritti Umani di Napoli, 2023, Italy
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Kenya International Sports Film Festival, 2023, Kenya
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– International Documentary Film Festival Flahertiana, 2023, Perm, Russia
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Cinema Iran Film Festival, 2023, Munich, Germany
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– Kerala International Documentary & Short Film Festival, 2023, Kerala, India
The Football Aficionado – Official Selection
– UCLA Celebration of Iranian Cinema, (2014) U.S.A.
Street Sultans – Official Selection
– MediaWave Film Festival, (2013) Hungary
Street Sultans – Official Selection
– DHfest, (2012) Mexico City
Street Sultans – Official Selection
– Uppsala Film Festival (Women Filmmakers of Iran), (2010) Sweden
Street Sultans – Official Selection

DIRECTORS’

STATEMENT

“The Football Aficionado” is the story of today’s generation of women who without any pretension tries to claim equal rights between men and women. As directors of this movie, who are both supporters of gender equality and football lover, we have great admiration for the courage and resistance of Zahra; the character of our film; and her generation.

We strongly believe that by presenting the struggles of a young Iranian woman of the new generation, the story becomes a significant page of the history of the Iranian women’s movement. In our eyes, under such circumstances, it is our duty as independent filmmakers to be the voice of brave Iranian women and not let their efforts to be unheard.

We believe that the film would have a powerful impact and as FIFA World Cup is going to be held on November, the film can attract many audiences and spread the word efficiently.