director sepideh farsi on getting arrested at sixteen, balancing motherhood and a film career, and the parallels between athens and tehran
meet sepideh farsi
Sepideh Farsi knew she wanted to be a filmmaker at 16 — the same year she was arrested for resisting the Iranian regime. Ever since, she has remained equally committed to her art and her ideals, often focusing on political activism, the experience of exile, and the search for identity in her work. When she’s not shooting a film, she splits her time between Paris and Athens, where you’re likely to see her passing by on her bike or on a run, heading to a café or riding up and down the hills. We spoke to Sepideh about her filmography, how her curious nature helps her find her subjects, and how she balances motherhood and her career.
This feature was made in association with Metrograph. We are also partnering with Metrograph to screen three of Sepideh’s films this coming weekend and we have limited free seating available — paid subscribers can scroll down for information.
“My parents were not active politically, but they had a political consciousness. Both sides of my family were against the Shah; they were all left-wing. My uncles were really left-wing. They were both in exile—one in Paris, one in London. So, I grew up with this consciousness of being against the mainstream, with this dissident tradition on both sides of my family. . . It energizes me if people tell me something can’t happen or it’s too late. Trying to go beyond obstacles is something that really pushes me to work. I love being challenged. And that’s important because if you tell someone you want to make a film, they will tell you it’s not possible. You won’t get permission. I say, don't give me permission! I’ll do it anyway. When I said I was going to go to Rafah and to Cairo [for my latest film], everyone said it was crazy, it was dangerous, I wouldn’t be allowed to make the film. And I was like, we’ll see. So, this film is a miracle, but it's always like that. If you listen to all the reasons not to do something, you will never do anything. I never believed that I couldn’t do something. I always think, if I want it, I’ll do it. I'm not saying that I've always succeeded in going beyond the challenges, but I try, at least.”
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Meet Sepideh in person March 22nd and March 23rd at Metrograph
In partnership with Metrograph, we are thrilled to present a series of screenings celebrating Sepideh Farsi’s work. This weekend, Metrograph will screen Farsi’s THE SIREN (2021), RED ROSE (2014), and TEHRAN WITHOUT PERMISSION (2009). Farsi will be present for moderated Q&As with writer Nicole Najafi and actor and activist Sepideh Moafi.
Drinks by Iranian-American brand SAG NYC will also be served in the Metrograph lobby bar. All are welcome to come and celebrate!
Find more details here:
Seats are limited and exclusive to passerby club members (paid subscribers). Reservations will be granted on a first come, first served basis until we reach capacity. RSVP for the screening of your choice at: