Author: Bijan Tehrani

Walking through the exhibition halls of SIGGRAPH 2026 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, one quickly realizes that the computer graphics industry has entered a new era. Artificial intelligence is no longer presented as a futuristic promise—it has become an integral part of virtually every creative workflow, from concept design and animation to visual effects, simulation, scientific visualization, and filmmaking. This year’s conference brings together researchers, artists, engineers, and technology companies from around the world to explore the next generation of digital storytelling and interactive experiences. (SIGGRAPH 2026) One of the highlights of my visit today was the HP booth,…

What follows is my conversation with Sohrab Khosravi, an editor whose professional journey began in animation before he became one of the key figures in Iran’s transition from film-based editing to the digital era. Over the years, he has collaborated with filmmakers such as Ebrahim Hatamikia, Majid Majidi, Kamal Tabrizi, and many others, building a body of experience that has become part of the living memory of contemporary Iranian cinema. Yet what makes this interview valuable to me is not merely the long list of acclaimed directors or celebrated films. What truly matters is Khosravi’s philosophy of editing. For him,…

Few filmmakers embrace uncertainty as willingly as Iranian-born director Ramin Niami. His latest feature, Fade Away, was not born from years of development or elaborate financing. Instead, it emerged from a trip to Italy, a handful of trusted actors, an iPhone, and a willingness to trust instinct over convention. Set against the haunting beauty of the Umbrian town of Narni, Fade Away explores memory, exile, love, and emotional displacement through an intimate, psychologically charged story. Produced on a micro-budget and filmed with an almost nonexistent crew, the film represents one of Niami’s boldest creative experiments. In this conversation with Cinema…

For more than half a century, SIGGRAPH has been the annual gathering where the future of visual storytelling is unveiled. While many filmmakers still think of it primarily as a conference for computer graphics engineers or software developers, that perception is decades out of date. Today, SIGGRAPH has become one of the most important creative events in the world for directors, producers, cinematographers, animation artists, visual effects supervisors, production designers, game developers, virtual production specialists, and anyone interested in the future of cinema. With SIGGRAPH 2026 returning to Los Angeles, filmmakers have an extraordinary opportunity to witness the technologies and…

Alfred Hitchcock never traveled to Iran. There is no photograph of him walking the streets of Tehran, no account of his presence in Shiraz or Isfahan, nor even any evidence that he devoted part of his life to the direct study of Persian literature. He was an Englishman, born in London at the close of the nineteenth century, raised in a Catholic environment, and later became one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of Hollywood. Yet every time I return to his films after years of watching cinema, I feel more strongly that an invisible thread connects his…

Today, I received the news of Marjane Satrapi’s passing with a heavy heart. She was an artist whom I had the privilege of knowing for nearly nineteen years. During those years, we stayed in touch from time to time, met at a number of cultural and cinematic events, and shared occasional conversations that, while often brief, remained memorable. Marjane was not the kind of person who ignored messages. Her replies were not always lengthy, but they were almost always thoughtful, kind, and respectful. That is why, two weeks ago, when she did not respond to a message I sent her,…

Every major technological breakthrough in the history of cinema has been greeted with fear. When synchronized sound arrived in the late 1920s, many filmmakers believed it would destroy the visual poetry of silent cinema. Some of the greatest silent film stars saw their careers disappear almost overnight, and critics warned that movies would become little more than photographed theater. When color became widespread, there were filmmakers who insisted that black-and-white cinematography represented the true artistic language of cinema. When lightweight cameras appeared, traditionalists questioned whether handheld cinematography belonged in serious filmmaking. The arrival of digital editing was met with skepticism by editors…

For Mother’s Day Throughout the history of cinema, the mother has never been merely a secondary or supporting character. She has often been the beating heart of the narrative, the guardian of memory, a symbol of love, suffering, sacrifice, resistance, and at times even repression and power. From its earliest years until today, cinema has constantly reinvented the image of the mother: sometimes as a sacred angel, sometimes as a broken woman, sometimes as a fighter, and sometimes as a lonely soul caught between love and destruction. Perhaps no relationship in cinema has possessed the emotional power of the bond…

The 7th of May marked the birthday of Asghar Farhadi, one of the most distinguished filmmakers in Iranian cinema — an artist who has become an exemplary model for many directors in Iran. During the 2010s, numerous Iranian films were influenced by his style, particularly in terms of subject matter, endings, and his unique approach to directing actors. Beyond the festivals held in his own country, Farhadi’s films have been nominated at many of the world’s most prestigious film festivals and have won major international awards, including two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, a César Award, a Goya…

May 6th 2026 – Cinema Without Borders announced Father By GTereza Nvotová as the winner of the Bridging The Borders Award  at 2026 SEEfest. Our Father By Goran Stanković also received the Honorary Mention Diploma of CWB jury. Cinema Without Borders Bridging the Borders award is sponsored by 360 MEDIA CWB Jury Statement: The Winner of Cinema Without Borders Bridging the Border Award goes to the film Father which depicts the tragedy of a father accidentally causing the death of his own child. The direction, the acting and the script authentically illustrate the father’s gut -wrenching grief and the public’s condemnation. The…