BIO (longer version)

Zara Zandieh is a director, filmmaker, and author born in Berlin. Queer and post-migrant characters often take center stage in Zara’s stories. They are multifaceted, self-ironic, resilient, complex, and are narrated and staged with a great deal of love and tenderness within their contradictions. Zara is inspired by the narrative styles and film languages of arthouse cinema, as well as queer pop culture.

Recently, Zara has been captivated by films and series that delve into ambivalence and feature complex characters, finding them deeply moving and compelling. These include Aftersun (Dir. Charlotte Wells), Reservation Dogs (Creators Sterlin Harjo & Taika Waititi), I May Destroy You (Creator Michaela Coel), Lady Parts (Creator Nida Manzoor), Everything Everywhere All at Once (Dir. Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert), 20,000 Species of Bees (Dir. Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren), Broker and Shoplifters (Dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda), The Five Devils (Dir. Léa Mysius), Fallen Leaves (Dir. Aki Kaurismäki), Anatomy of a Fall (Dir. Justine Triet), Songs My Brothers Taught Me (Dir. Chloé Zhao), City of Wind (Dir. Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir), Moonlight (Dir. Barry Jenkins) and Clara Sola (Dir. Nathalie Álvarez Mesén).

Zara’s short films and video installation have been nominated and exhibited at various international film festivals, including International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, BFI FLARE Film Festival, HIFF-Helsinki International Film Festival, EIFF-Edinburgh International Film Festival, Queer Lisboa, Inside Out, and DokLeipzig, and have been recognized for their innovative storytelling and artistic merit.

Zara has been the recipient of two working grants from the Berlin Senate to support the development of their creative projects. In 2021, OCTAVIA’S VISIONS received the ZONTA Prize by the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, further cementing Zara’s reputation as a talented and visionary filmmaker.

Currently, Zara is dedicated to developing fictional projects, revising the screenplay for their queer debut film IN DEINEN HÄNDEN/ IN YOUR HANDS (working title) following treatment funding and development funding from the FFA (German Federal Film Board).

Zara earned an MA in Gender, Ethnic Studies and Sexualities at UEL (University of East London) and spent four years studying at filmArche, a self-taught and self-organized film school based in Berlin. Furthermore, Zara graduated as a master student of Art and Media at the University of the Arts Berlin (Universität der Künste Berlin). Zara was selected for the 2021 edition of Berlinale Talents. Between 2021-2022, Zara was mentored by Axel Ranisch (director, author & actor) as part of the mentoring program of Filmnetzwerk Berlin. Zara is represented by the film agency Felix Bloch Erben.

BIO (shorter version)

Zara Zandieh is a director, filmmaker, and author born in Berlin. Queer and post-migrant characters often take center stage in Zara’s stories. They are multifaceted, self-ironic, resilient, complex, and are narrated and staged with a great deal of love and tenderness within their contradictions. Zara is inspired by the narrative styles and film languages of arthouse cinema, as well as queer pop culture.
Zara’s short films and video installations have been exhibited at various international film festivals, garnering acclaim and receiving awards. They have been recognized for their innovative storytelling and artistic merit. Zara has been the recipient of two working grants from the Berlin Senate to support the development of their creative projects. In 2021, OCTAVIA’S VISIONS received the ZONTA Prize, further cementing Zara’s reputation as a talented and visionary filmmaker. Currently, Zara is dedicated to developing fictional projects, revising the screenplay for their queer debut film IN DEINEN HÄNDEN/ IN YOUR HANDS (working title) following treatment funding and development funding from the FFA (German Federal Film Board).