Mehrnoush Aliaghaei is a writer/producer who grew up in Iran and immigrated to the United States after finishing high school. Mehrnoush received her B.A. from the University of California–Berkeley, where she majored in Film Studies and Comparative Literature. She subsequently worked in film distribution and exhibition at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. She has been pursuing her M.F.A. in Filmmaking at Columbia University in New York. She has written three feature length scripts and a pilot for a TV series, as well as produced several short films. She is currently developing her first feature film, Where the Wild Flowers Grow.
Where the Wild Flowers Grow — Tehran, 1988, the last year of the Iran-Iraq war. Yasi, a 13-year-old girl, is saved from her solitude and abusive mother through her secret friendship with an artist hiding from the Iranian Government.
Now Mehrnoush Aliaghaei”s 1001 Frames is at the Berlin Festival 2025
Mehrnoush Aliaghaei interview on 1001 Frames at Berlin Festival 2025: Spotlight on abuse, minimalist cinema & Iran’s #metoomovement Mehrnoush Aliaghaei’s film 1001 Frames serves as a profound exploration of themes related to autonomy, exploitation, and the pervasive male gaze, set against the backdrop of an audition room. As both writer and director, Aliaghaei crafts a narrative that blurs the lines between performance and reality, echoing the broader societal critiques prompted by the MeToo movement. Drawing inspiration from the storytelling economy of Iranian cinema, the film utilizes its minimalist setting to intensify the focus on broader concerns within the creative industries. The strategic use of the audition camera’s perspective as a representation of the invasive male gaze challenges the audience to reflect on their own complicity in voyeurism, while also highlighting the objectification faced by women in such environments. Aliaghaei’s collaboration with the director of photography and actors was instrumental in creating the film’s immersive and unsettling atmosphere, enhancing the narrative’s impact. The film’s inclusion in the Berlinale, known for its support of boundary-pushing cinema, underscores its significance and the dialogue it fosters around women’s experiences and systemic abuse. Despite potential challenges in screening the film in Iran, its international acclaim marks an important step in advocating for change. Aliaghaei remains hopeful about the future of women’s rights, stressing the importance of legal reforms and societal change. The success of 1001 Frames at the Berlin Festival 2025 provides a promising outlook for her future projects, as she continues to use cinema as a medium for impactful storytelling and advocacy.
SOURCE YouTube – Interviewer: Sarah Bradbury Editing: Olivia Barker
