Fathollah Amiri


Fathollah Amiri is an Iranian documentary filmmaker with a career focusing on the environment and wildlife of Iran. His film, Ranger and Leopard, received the Green Screen award in Germany in 2018. His film Vortex won the 33rd edition of the Sondrio Festival in Italy in 2019. He has also served as a judge at the Matsalu Nature Film Festival in Estonia in 2019 and the List of [environmental film festivals|Sondrio Festival of Environmental Films] in Italy in 2020. In Iran, Amiri has won notable awards, including two Fajr International Film Festival awards for In Search of the Persian Leopard and Life in Eclipse, as well as the Grand Prize of the Cinema Verite Festival for Alamto, A reptile wonderland.

Early life and education

Fathollah Amiri was born in 1981 in Ilam, Iran. He developed a passion for environmental and wildlife issues early in life, which later influenced his career choice. Amiri pursued higher education in film studies and holds a master's degree in Documentary Production from IRIB University.

Career

Amiri's career as a documentary filmmaker began in the early 2000s. He has directed and produced numerous documentaries that shed light on the environmental challenges and unique wildlife of Iran.

Awards and Recognitions

YearFestival / OrganizationLocationAward / SelectionWork
2009National Student Film FestivalTehran, IranBest DocumentaryLife in Eclipse
2011Fajr International Film FestivalTehran, IranCrystal Simorgh for Best Feature DocumentaryIn Search for the Persian Leopard
2012Jahorina International Film FestivalBosnia and HerzegovinaSilver Genian Prize for Best Environmental DocumentaryIn Search for the Persian Leopard
2012Cinema Verite International Documentary Film FestivalTehran, IranBest Environmental Documentary FeatureIn Search for the Persian Leopard
2013Jam-e Jam TV FestivalTehran, IranSarv Award for Best Documentary SeriesReptiles of Iran
2014Cinema Verite FestivalTehran, IranGrand Prize for Best FilmAlamto: A Reptile Wonderland
2014Iranian House of CinemaTehran, IranBest Researcher, Best Photography, Best MusicAlamto: A Reptile Wonderland
2014Roshd International Film FestivalTehran, IranBest Documentary & Department of Environment PrizeAlamto: A Reptile Wonderland
2015ABU Film AwardsIstanbul, TurkeyBest Feature DocumentaryAlamto: A Reptile Wonderland
2015Japan Prize Tokyo, JapanOfficial SelectionAlamto: A Reptile Wonderland
2015Wildlife Conservation Film FestivalNew York, USAFinalist – Best Foreign FeatureIn Search for the Persian Leopard
2017Jackson Wild Wyoming, USABest Film Award – People & NatureRanger and Leopard
2018Jam-e Jam TV FestivalTehran, IranSarv Award for Best Documentary DirectorRanger and Leopard
2018Matsalu Nature Film FestivalEstonia1st Prize, Best DirectorRanger and Leopard
2018Green Screen [film festival | Green Screen International Nature Film Festival]GermanyBest Independent FilmRanger and Leopard
2018Wildscreen Panda AwardsUnited KingdomEmerging Talent NomineeIn the Realm of the Spider-tailed Viper
2019Gran Paradiso Film FestivalItalyWWF Italy AwardIn the Realm of the Spider-tailed Viper
2019Sondrio FestivalItalyCittà di Sondrio AwardVortex
2019CMS Vatavaran Film FestivalIndiaSpecial Jury MentionVortex
2021Festival de MénigouteMénigoute, FranceNature Protection AwardVortex

Filmography

  • In Search of the Iranian Leopard
  • Alamto A Reptile Wonderland
  • Reptiles of Iran
  • The Ranger and the Leopard
  • Life in Eclipse
  • In the Realm of the Spider-Tailed Viper
  • In the Whirlpool of Extinction
  • ''Houbara''