MARYAM KESHAVARZ is an Iranian-American writer, director, and producer. Maryam was born in New York City but spent most summers, and some of her school years, in Shiraz, Iran. This bi-national childhood naturally made her a translator of cultures, two cultures often at odds with each other. Maryam initially was pursuing a PhD in Near Eastern Studies focusing on Iran and Gender Studies but 9/11 propelled her to enter the media arena to try and change the narrative.
Maryam received her MFA from NYU/ Tisch in film direction and has been making award-winning films for 19 years. Maryam’s first feature documentary, THE COLOR OF LOVE, an intimate portrait of the changing landscape of love and politics in Iran, won numerous awards at top-tier festivals and was broadcast internationally. Maryam’s short film THE DAY I DIED garnered top accolades at Mar del Plata, Clermont-Ferrand, New York Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival; and was the only short film at Berlinale to win two awards: the Gold Teddy and the Jury Prize.
Maryam’s first narrative feature fiction film, CIRCUMSTANCE, premiered to overwhelming critical acclaim at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The film won the coveted Sundance Audience Award and Maryam was named to Deadline.com’s 2011 Directors to Watch. CIRCUMSTANCE won a dozen international awards including Best First Film at the Rome Film Festival and the Audience & Best Actress Awards at Outfest. The Independent Spirit Award nominated film was described by the New York Times as “Swirling and sensuous,” by the Wall Street Journal as “Supremely cinematic,” and by the Hollywood Reporter as “Amazingly accomplished.” The film was released in the US by Participant Media & Roadside Attractions and went on to be released theatrically in over a dozen countries in 2012. The film also was a huge sensation in Iran where it was the top black market DVD, and also caused Maryam to be banned from Iran.
Maryam’s sophomore feature VIPER CLUB starring Academy Award Winner Susan Sarandon and Golden Globe Winner Edie Falco had its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival 2018 and was released theatrically by Roadside Attractions.
THE PERSIAN VERSION, a semi-autobiographical epic dramedy of migration, family, and the secrets we keep, traverses decades and toggles between the United States and Iran, is Maryam’s third feature. THE PERSIAN VERSION premiered in Main Competition at the Sundance Film Festival 2023, where it won the U.S. Dramatic Competition Audience Award and The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. Keshavarz is the first director in Sundance history to win the Audience Award twice. The film was released stateside by Sony Picture Classics this fall to critical acclaim. Characterized by The Hollywood Report as “infectious, fizzy energy that is hard resist,” the Huffington post termed it a “soulful journey across time and language,” and Roger Ebert proclaimed “a story telling style few director’s would dare, a dazzling thing to witness.” Maryam was honored as The Wrap’s: 25 Change Makers in Hollywood, spoke on Variety’s For Your Consideration Fest: Screenplay Panel, and THE PERSIAN VERSION was named by the National Board of Review as Top Ten Films of 2023.
THE PERSIAN VERSION is presently being adapted into a thirty minute comedy series.
