Samira Makhmalbaf (Persian: سمیرا مخملباف‎, Samiraa Makhmalbaaf) (born February 15, 1980,^[1] Tehran) is an internationally acclaimed Iranian filmmaker and script writer. She is the daughter of Mohsen Makhmalbaf, the film director and writer. Samira Makhmalbaf is considered to be one of the most influential directors as part of the Iranian New Wave.

At the age of 17, after directing two video productions, she went on to direct the movie The Apple.

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Samira Makhmalbaf has been the winner and nominee of numerous awards. She was nominated twice for Golden Palm of Cannes Film Festival for Panj é asr (At Five in the Afternoon) (2003) and Takhté siah (Blackboards) (2001). She won Prix du Jury of Cannes, for both films in 2003 and 2001 respectively. Samira Mohmalbaf also won UNESCO Award of Venice Film Festival in 2002 for 11.09.01 – September 11 and Sutherland Trophy of London Film Festival for The Apple in 1998. In 2003, a panel of critics at the British newspaper The Guardian named Makhmalbaf among the best 40 best directors at work today.^[4]

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Awards and Nominations

• “Sutherland Trophy”, London Film Festival 1998, UK.
• “International Critics prize”, Locarno Film Festival 1998, Switzerland.
• “Jury’s Special prize”, Thessalonica Film Festival 1998, Greece.
• “Jury’s Special prize”,São Paulo Film Festival 1998, Brazil.
• “Jury’s Special prize”, Independent cinema Festival 1999, Argentina.
• “Critic’s prize”, Independent cinema Festival 1999, Argentina.
• “Audience’s prize”, Independent cinema Festival 1999, Argentina.
• “Jury Special award”Official Competition section of the 2000 Cannes Film Festival, France.^[11]
• “Federico Fellini Medal”, UNESCO, Paris, 2000.
• “François Truffaut prize”, Giffoni Film Festival in Italy 2000.
• “Giffoni’s Mayor Prize “, Giffoni Film Festival, Italy, 2000.
• “Special cultural Prize”, UNESCO, Paris, 2000.
• “The grand Jury prize”, American Film Institute, U.S., 2000
• “Jury Special award”, Official Competition section of Cannes Film Festival 2003, France.
• Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, Cannes 2003, France.
• Golden Peacock, competition (first prize) for Best film at the 34th International Film Festival of India 2003, India.
• The “Youths’ Cinema” Award in Singapore’s 17th International Silver Screen Film Festival 2004
• “The Special Jury Prize”, San Sebastian Film Festival (2008)

More details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samira_Makhmalbaf