Mehdi Ganji
Mehdi Ganji was born in Malayer in 1978. He studied cinematography at University. Among his first works are: With You: Moonlight, Iron Wheels, and a TV series Manifestation. His recent films depict the lives of entrepreneurs. This series of documentaries include Employment and Industry, My Mom: Manizheh is a Miner, and All My Identity Papers. The documentary film I Want to be a King is one of Ganji’s best films. It deals with the life of an accidental tourism industry entrepreneur and his relationship with his family. Ganji is an associate member of the Iranian Documentary Filmmakers Association.
Selected awards:
- for I Want to be a King: Best Documentary at the Kazan Film Festival, Russia, 2016/ the Audience Special Award in Chagrin Falls, USA, 2015/ the Special Jury Award in Flahertiana Film Festival, Russia, 2015/ the Best Documentary Award at the Iranian film Festival, Prague, 2015/the Best Documentary Award at the Iranian film Festival, San Francisco, 2015/ Award finalist candidate at the TRT Festival, Turkey, 2015/ Crystal Simorgh Award for the best documentary film director at the 33rd Fajr Film Festival, Tehran, 2014
- for Life at the Stake: Parvin Etesami Award, 2013
- for With You: Moonlight: the Best Short at the Kish Short documentary film Festival, 2001