Merila Zarei ( fa, مریلا زارعی, also
Romanized
Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, and ...
as "Merīlā Zāre'ī"; born April 14, 1974
) is an
Iranian
Iranian may refer to:
* Iran, a sovereign state
* Iranian peoples, the speakers of the Iranian languages. The term Iranic peoples is also used for this term to distinguish the pan ethnic term from Iranian, used for the people of Iran
* Iranian lan ...
actress. She is one of the most influential actresses after the
Islamic Revolution
The Iranian Revolution ( fa, انقلاب ایران, Enqelâb-e Irân, ), also known as the Islamic Revolution ( fa, انقلاب اسلامی, Enqelâb-e Eslâmī), was a series of events that culminated in the overthrow of the Pahlavi dyna ...
of Iran, who has acted in the films of great directors such as
Asghar Farhadi
Asghar Farhadi ( fa, اصغر فرهادی, ; born 7 May 1972)[Soureh Movie Database](_blank) ,
Ebrahim Hatami Kia,
Pouran Derakhshandeh
Pourān Derakh'shandeh ( fa, پوران درخشنده) (born 27 March 1951 in Kermanshah, Iran) is an Iranian film director, producer, screen writer, and researcher.
Career
Derakh'shandeh graduated in film directing in 1975 from Advanced School ...
,
Reza Attaran
Reza Attaran (Persian: رضا عطاران, born May 10, 1968) is an Iranian actor, director, screenwriter and singer. He has received various accolades, including three Crystal Cymorgh, five Hafez Awards
Hafez Awards is an annual awards cer ...
,
Abbas Kia Rostami and
Masoud Kimiaei.
Biography
A graduate of
Azad University of Tehran, during her studies she became interested in
acting
Acting is an activity in which a story is told by means of its enactment by an actor or actress who adopts a character—in theatre, television, film, radio, or any other medium that makes use of the mimetic mode.
Acting involves a broad r ...
through
Ezatollah Entezami's acting courses.
Her first movie was ''Patak'' by Ali Asghar Shadravan in 1994. She received the
Crystal Simorgh
The Crystal Simorgh ( fa, سیمرغ بلورین) is an award given by Fajr International Film Festival, Iran's major annual film festival. It is awarded in several categories of ''International Competition'' as well as ''Iranian Cinema Compet ...
for the
best actress
Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress awar ...
in a
supporting role
A supporting character is a character in a narrative that is not the focus of the primary storyline, but is important to the plot/protagonist, and appears or is mentioned in the story enough to be more than just a minor character or a cameo ap ...
for ''The Friday's Soldiers'' (2005,
Masoud Kimiai
Masoud Kimiai (or Masoud Kimiaei, fa, مسعود کیمیایی, born 29 July 1941) is an Iranian director, screenwriter and producer.
Biography
Kimiai started his career as an assistant director and made his debut, ''Come Stranger'', in 19 ...
), from the 23rd
Fajr International Film Festival
Iran's annual Fajr International Film Festival ( fa, جشنواره بینالمللی فیلم فجر), or Fajr Film Festival (little: FIFF; fa, جشنواره فیلم فجر), has been held every February and April in Tehran since 1982. T ...
.
She is also the winner of
best actress
Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress awar ...
of
32nd Fajr International Film Festival
3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...
.
Filmography
Movies:
* ''Patak'' by Ali Ashghar Shadervan (1994)
* ''Ruy-e Khat-e Marg'' directed by Shafi Aghamohammadian (1995)
* ''Zan-e Sharghi'' directed by Rambod Lotfi (1996)
* ''Khalaban'' directed by Jamal Shurjeh (1996)
* ''
Do Zan'' (''Two Women'') directed by
Tahmineh Milani
Tahmineh Milāni ( fa, تهمینه میلانی) is an Iranian feminist activist, and film director and producer.
Early career
She was born 1960 in Tabriz, Iran. After graduating in architecture from the University of Science and Technology ...
(1999)
* ''Tekyeh bar bad'' directed by Dariush Farhang (1999)
* ''The Fifth Reaction'' (The 5th Reaction) directed by
Tahmineh Milani
Tahmineh Milāni ( fa, تهمینه میلانی) is an Iranian feminist activist, and film director and producer.
Early career
She was born 1960 in Tabriz, Iran. After graduating in architecture from the University of Science and Technology ...
(2001)
* ''Eshgh-e Film'' directed by Ebrahim Vahidzadeh (2001)
* ''Ham Nafas'' directed by Mehdi Fakhimzadeh (2002)
* ''Mo'ādeleh'' directed by Ebrahim Vahidzadeh (2002)
* ''Sizdah Gorbeh ruy-e Shirvani'' directed by Ali Abdolalizadeh (2002)
* ''Sarbazhaye jome'' (Friday's Soldiers) directed by
Masoud Kimiayie
Masoud Kimiai (or Masoud Kimiaei, fa, مسعود کیمیایی, born 29 July 1941) is an Iranian director, screenwriter and producer.
Biography
Kimiai started his career as an assistant director and made his debut, ''Come Stranger'', in 1 ...
(2002)
* ''Mojaradha'' directed by Asghar Hashemi (2003)
* ''The Unwanted Woman'' directed by
Tahmineh Milani
Tahmineh Milāni ( fa, تهمینه میلانی) is an Iranian feminist activist, and film director and producer.
Early career
She was born 1960 in Tabriz, Iran. After graduating in architecture from the University of Science and Technology ...
(2005)
* ''Zagros'' directed by Mohammad Ali Najafi (2004)
* ''
Hokm
Court Piece (also known as Hokm ( fa, ), Rung (Urdu:) and Rang) is a trick-taking card game similar to the card game whist in which eldest hand makes trumps after the first five cards have been dealt, and trick-play is typically stopped after o ...
'' (Verdict) directed by
Masoud Kimiayie
Masoud Kimiai (or Masoud Kimiaei, fa, مسعود کیمیایی, born 29 July 1941) is an Iranian director, screenwriter and producer.
Biography
Kimiai started his career as an assistant director and made his debut, ''Come Stranger'', in 1 ...
(2004)
* ''Pāpital'' (
Hedera helix
''Hedera'', commonly called ivy (plural ivies), is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to western, central and southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern Africa and ...
) directed by Ardeshir Shelileh (2005)
* ''Dasthaye khali'' directed by Abolqasem Talebi (2007)
* ''
Invitation (Davat)'' directed by
Ebrahim Hatamikia
Ibrahim (also spelled Ibraheem) ( ar, إبراهيم, ) is the Arabic name of the prophet and patriarch Abraham and one of Allah's messengers in the Quran. It is a common first name and surname among Muslims and Arab Christians, a cognate of the ...
(2008)
* ''
About Elly
''About Elly'' ( fa, درباره الی, translit. ''Dar bāre-ye Elly'') is a 2009 Iranian drama film. The fourth film by filmmaker Asghar Farhadi, the film examines middle class relationships in Iran.
It received universal acclaim. Farhad ...
'', directed by
Asghar Farhadi
Asghar Farhadi ( fa, اصغر فرهادی, ; born 7 May 1972)[Soureh Movie Database](_blank) (2009)
* ''Keyfar'' directed by
Hassan Fathi
Hassan Fathi ( fa, حسن فتحی, born 2 September 1959) is an Iranian film director and screenwriter. He's one of the most well known and successful Iranian directors. Fathi is best known for his popular historical TV series.
Career
He holds ...
* ''Digari'' directed by Mehdi Rahmani
* ''
Nader and Simin, A Separation
''A Separation'' ( fa, جدایی, Jodâyi; also titled ''Nader and Simin, A Separation'') is a 2011 Iranian drama film written and directed by Asghar Farhadi, starring Leila Hatami, Peyman Moaadi, Shahab Hosseini, Sareh Bayat, and Sarina Farhadi ...
'', directed by
Asghar Farhadi
Asghar Farhadi ( fa, اصغر فرهادی, ; born 7 May 1972)[Soureh Movie Database](_blank) (2011)
* ''
I Feel Sleepy
''I Feel Sleepy'' ( fa, خوابم میآد, Khwabm Maad) is an Iranian film directed by Reza Attaran. In the film, the male actor Akbar Abdi portrays an old woman.
Plot
Reza is a middle age teacher who has trouble communicating with women, ...
'' directed by
Reza Attaran
Reza Attaran (Persian: رضا عطاران, born May 10, 1968) is an Iranian actor, director, screenwriter and singer. He has received various accolades, including three Crystal Cymorgh, five Hafez Awards
Hafez Awards is an annual awards cer ...
(2012)
* ''Bear'' directed by Khosro Masumi
* ''
Hush! Girls Don't Scream
''Hush! Girls Don't Scream'' ( fa, هیس! دخترها فریاد نمیزنند, Hiss! Doxtarhâ Faryâd Nemizanand) is a 2013 Iranian drama film directed by Pouran Derakhshandeh. It is about a woman on death row for killing a man. Most of t ...
'' directed by
Pouran Derakhshandeh
Pourān Derakh'shandeh ( fa, پوران درخشنده) (born 27 March 1951 in Kermanshah, Iran) is an Iranian film director, producer, screen writer, and researcher.
Career
Derakh'shandeh graduated in film directing in 1975 from Advanced School ...
(2012)
* '' Golden Regime '' directed by Reza Sobhani
* '' Everything for sale '' directed by Amir Hossein Saghafi (2012)
* '' Che '' directed by
Ebrahim Hatamikia
Ibrahim (also spelled Ibraheem) ( ar, إبراهيم, ) is the Arabic name of the prophet and patriarch Abraham and one of Allah's messengers in the Quran. It is a common first name and surname among Muslims and Arab Christians, a cognate of the ...
(2012)
* '' Track 143 '' directed by
Narges Abyar
Narges Abyar ( fa, نرگس آبیار, born 8 August 1970) is an Iranian film director, author and screenwriter, best known for directing '' Track 143'', ''Breath'', and ''When the Moon Was Full''. The film Track 143 is adapted from Abyar's novel ...
(2013)
* ''The Little Black Fish'' directed by Majid Esmaeili (2015)
* ''
Bodyguard
A bodyguard (or close protection officer/operative) is a type of security guard, government law enforcement officer, or servicemember who protects a person or a group of people — usually witnesses, high-ranking public officials or officers, w ...
''
Ebrahim Hatamikia
Ibrahim (also spelled Ibraheem) ( ar, إبراهيم, ) is the Arabic name of the prophet and patriarch Abraham and one of Allah's messengers in the Quran. It is a common first name and surname among Muslims and Arab Christians, a cognate of the ...
(2016)
* ''
Under the Smoky Roof'' (2017)
* ''
Henas'' (2022)
TV series:
* ''The Sea People'' directed by
Siroos Moghaddam
* ''
Jeyran directed by
Hassan Fathi
Hassan Fathi ( fa, حسن فتحی, born 2 September 1959) is an Iranian film director and screenwriter. He's one of the most well known and successful Iranian directors. Fathi is best known for his popular historical TV series.
Career
He holds ...
Awards
* Won
Crystal Simorgh
The Crystal Simorgh ( fa, سیمرغ بلورین) is an award given by Fajr International Film Festival, Iran's major annual film festival. It is awarded in several categories of ''International Competition'' as well as ''Iranian Cinema Compet ...
Best Actress -
32nd Fajr International Film Festival
3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...
(2014),
35th Fajr International Film Festival Military units
*35th Fighter Wing, an air combat unit of the United States Air Force
* 35th Infantry Division (United States), a formation of the National Guard since World War I
* 35th Infantry Regiment (United States), a regiment created on 1 July ...
(2017)
* nominated
Track 143 Best Actress -
8th Asia Pacific Screen Awards
The 8th Asia Pacific Screen Awards were held in Brisbane, Australia on 11 December 2014.
Awards
Films and countries with multiple nominations
References
Asia Pacific Screen Awards
Asia Pacific Screen Awards
Asia Pacific Scre ...
(2014)
Personal life
She has a younger sister, Melika Zarei, who is also an
actress
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a Character (arts), character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek ...
.
See also
*
Iranian women
Throughout history, women in Iran have played numerous roles, and contributed in many ways, to Iranian society. Historically, tradition maintained that women be confined to their homes so that they could manage the household and raise children ...
*
Iranian cinema
The Cinema of Iran (Persian: سینمای ایران), also known as the Cinema of Persia, refers to the cinema and film industries in Iran which produce a variety of commercial films annually. Iranian art films have garnered international fame a ...
*
List of famous Persian women
This is a list of Iranian women, of all Iranian ethnic backgrounds, including both women born in Iran and women that are of the Iranian diaspora.
Nobel laureates
* Shirin Ebadi (born 1947), 2003 Nobel Laureate (Peace)
Scientists and engin ...
*
List of Iranian actresses
The following is a list of Iranian actresses in alphabetical order.
A
*Aram (actress), Aram
*Bahareh Afshari
* Golab Adineh
* Mahnaz Afshar
* Shohreh Aghdashloo
* Pegah Ahangarani
* Taraneh Alidoosti
* Zar Amir Ebrahimi
* Mary Apick
* ...
References
External links
*
1974 births
Living people
People from Tehran
Actresses from Tehran
Iranian film actresses
Iranian television actresses
Islamic Azad University alumni
20th-century Iranian actresses
21st-century Iranian actresses
Crystal Simorgh for Best Actress winners
Crystal Simorgh for Best Supporting Actress winners
{{Iran-actor-stub