Today we’d like to introduce you to Farbod Ardebili.
Farbod, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and raised in Tehran/Iran.
Over there I started an underground metal band and directed several plays until I became able to move to the US in 2014 thanks to the international success of a short film that I made while in Iran.
Since 2014, I have written and directed numerous shorts, received a fellowship from Sundance, and participated in film festivals such as Montreal du nouveau, Fantastic Fest, Cleveland International Film Festival, Calgary Film Festival, Sun Valley Film Festival, and more.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. The fact that I’ve been away from my friends and family in Iran for many years has been one of the hardest struggles of my life. Also, adapting to a new environment, especially a new country is always a challenge.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Technically I’m a filmmaker. But I mostly think of myself as a storyteller. I’ve always wanted to tell stories since I was a kid. However, unfortunately, I could not do so for decades of my life while residing in Iran. My stories were not the kind of stories that the government of Iran would approve. Luckily I was finally able to move to the US in 2014, and since then, I’ve been busy making short films and planning to make the jump to a feature project in the upcoming year.
I’m most proud of the fact that I never stopped, no matter how insane the obstacles.
It’s up to others to say what sets me apart, but I can tell you that my past experiences, especially my life in Iran as a silenced artist, definitely give me a unique perspective.
What makes you happy?
It’s really simple for me. I’m happy as long as I’m free to tell stories.
“Why?” I don’t know, but I consider it as one of my primal needs.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.farbodardebili.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anarchy.stains/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/farbod.ardebili/
- Other: vimeo.com/farboda
Image Credits:
Rasool Hashemi Nasab Mojtaba Panahi
