Seyyed Reza Mir-Karimi

Born in Tehran in 1967, Seyyed Reza Mir-Karimi is a graduate from Tehran University in Graphics. He began his film career by directing some shorts such as FOR HIM, A RAINY DAY and THE ROOSTER, and made two TV series AFTAB AND AZIZ KHANOM and THE KIDS FROM HEMMAT SCHOOL.

With his debut feature, THE CHILD AND THE SOLDIER, he gained much attention in Montreal, Tokyo and Sao Paulo Film Festivals and won a Diploma of Honor for The Best Director at the 18th Fajr International Film Festival, The Golden Slipper at Zlin and second Prize at the 20th Nantes International Film Festival of 3 Continents.

But his international breakthrough came with UNDER THE MOONLIGHT which entered the festival circuit and won prestigious awards at Cannes, Tokyo, etc. His third feature, HERE, A SHINING LIGHT, brought him more prizes from Fajr and Asia-Pacific Film Festivals. Mir-Karimi’s SO CLOSE, SO FAR was one of the main winners at Fajr 2005 and the Iranian submission to Academy Awards in foreign language film category. —filmhousecinema.com