Valiollah Khakdan

Valiollah Khakdan was an Iranian art director and accomplished set designer.
Born in Baku, Azerbaijan, he graduated from the faculty of painting at the Art School there and started his career as an art director with Prince's Prisoner. He immigrated to Iran in 1938. Due to his background in painting, he became a set designer in theatres of Tabriz. He is known as a pioneer of set designing in Iranian cinema. He moved to Tehran in 1946 and worked in the bigger theatres. Although he had a limited experience and background in Iranian cinema, made some decorations for historical films which are among the memorable and outstanding examples. He was one of the supervisors for building a small town for IRIB as the location of historical films and TV series.

Filmography

Golden Dreams, 1951The Mother, 1952Mashdi Ebaad, 1953Eagle of TousThe Bride of Tigris, 1954Fabulous Amir Arsalan, 1955Yousuf and Zoleikha, 1956Ladder of ProgressJacob Leis, 1957Bizhan and ManizhehRay of HopeThe Broken Spell, 1958Spring of Life Water, 1959Arshin Malalan, 1960You Have Mistaken Me, Madam!Bitter HoneyMidnight's Cry, 1961Aras Khan, 1963 Fabulous Amir Arsalan Hossein Kurd Shabestary, 1966Diamond 33Nasim Ay'yar, 1987Dragon CapeYousuf and Zoleikha, 1968Breed of Braves, 1969Leili and Madjnoun, 1970Abbaseh and Djafar Barmaki, 1972The Sleeping Lion, 1977Kamalolmolk, 1984Mirza Norouz's Shoes, 1985The First Deputy, 1986The Magnificent Day, 1988 Great ExpectationKakado, 1994