Tamadon, Mehran

Mehran Tamadon (1972, Teheran, Iran)

Mehran Tamadon was born in 1972 in Tehran, Iran. He is a director and writer, known for Bassidji (2009), Jaii keh khoda nist (2023) and Iranien (2014).

Mehran Tamadon arrived in France at the age of 12, in 1984. He attended the school of Architecture of Paris-La Villette, and received his diploma in 2000.

In 1999, he participated in the creation of the review L'Arrosoir devoted to issues of city and land usage. In the year 2000, he returned to Iran for four years and worked as an architect, realizing a house and a building in Tehran.

“I am Iranian living in France, and I have always used my own identity. It is always more dangerous to lie than to tell the truth. I never hid my identity, neither in the film nor offscreen. In the documentary, the spectator that I position myself outside. There is always a subjectivity, linked to our origin, to the environment in which we grew up and I believe that we should never hide it.”

“Je suis Iranien habitant en France, et j’ai toujours utilisé ma propre identité. Il est toujours plus dangereux de mentir que de dire la vérité. Je n’ai jamais caché mon identité, ni dans le film ni hors-champ. Dans le documentaire, le spectateur que je me positionne à l’extérieur. Il y a toujours une subjectivité, liée à notre origine, au milieu dans lequel nous avons grandi et je crois qu’il ne faut jamais la cacher.”

Since 2002, he has given his career a distinctly artistic orientation. During an exhibit of conceptual art at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tehran, he showed an artistic installation called “From the eyes of a stroller”.

He also published two essays in Persian (Moments of agony, 2003 and Friendship, 2005). Then, in 2004 he realized his first medium-length documentary, Behesht Zahra / Mothers of Martyrs, presented in numerous international festivals.

Bassidji (2009), about the defenders of the Islamic republic of Iran, is his first feature documentary. With Iranian he continues his unique approach of engaging in a dialogue with actors of the Iranian regime.

2023   My Worst Enemies | Mon pire ennemi (Documentary, 2023)
2023   Where God Is Not | Jaii keh khoda nist (2023)
2014   Iranian | Iranien (Documentary, 2014)
2009   Bassidji | Basيdz (Documentary, 2009)