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Ali Mosaffa
Ali Mosaffa
Ali Mosaffa
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Ali Mosaffa (Persian: علی مصفا, born December 1, 1966) is an Iranian actor and filmmaker.

Key Information

Life and career

[edit]

Mosaffa was born in Tehran, Iran. His father, Mozaher Mosaffa (born in Tafresh), was a Persian poet and professor of Persian literature at the University of Tehran. Mosaffa's mother, Amir Banoo Karimi, is also a leading scholar and professor of Persian literature at the University of Tehran and the eldest daughter of the Persian poet, Seyed Karim Amiri Firuzkuhi.

He is a graduate of Civil engineering from the University of Tehran where he showed an interest in acting; making his debut in the 1991 film, Omid.[2] In the following year he won best male actor at the Fajr International Film Festival for his role in Darius Mehrjui's film, Pari. Mosaffa met his future wife, Iranian actress Leila Hatami on the set of Mehrjui's 1996 film, Leila. The two married in 1999 and have two children, a son named Mani (born February 2007) and a daughter named Assal (born October 2008).

Mosaffa's experience with directing began with the short films, Incubus, The Neighbour and the documentary feature, Farib-e-She'r or The Deceit of Poesy. He then directed his first film in 2005 with Sima-ye Zani Dar Doordast (a.k.a. Portrait of a Lady Far Away), starring Leila Hatami and Homayoun Ershadi. The film was shortlisted for the Sutherland Trophy, at The Times BFI London Film Festival. His first feature film subsequently won the People's Choice Award at the Chicago Iranian Film Festival and was nominated for the Crystal Globe at the 2005 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Mosaffa's second film, The Last Step /Pele ye Akhar, starring Leila Hatami has received acclaim from critics and audiences worldwide following its international premiere at the 2012 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival which gained Mosaffa the international critics' FIPRESCI[3] prize for best film and awarded Leila Hatami with the Crystal Globe for Best Actress for her leading role in the film.[4]

In October 2012, Mosaffa joined Oscar-winning director of A Separation, Asghar Farhadi in Paris; starring alongside Bérénice Bejo and Tahar Rahim for Farhadi's first foreign language film, Le Passé or The Past which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2013.[5]

He started producing films with his own film “ The Last Step” and then produced a second one “ What’s the time in your world” which won the FIPRESCI prize for best film in Bussan 2014. His other productions "A hairy tale", "180 rule" received awards in world festivals. He also coproduced two features with the French : "Yalda, a Night for Forgiveness" won the Grand Jury prize in Sundance Film Festival 2020 and " A Tale of Shemroon" won best feature film in Marakesh IFF 2022.

Filmography

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Acting

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Directing

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Television series

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  • The English Bag
  • Paridokht

Producing

[edit]

Awards

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Ali Mosaffa

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Ali Mosaffa (born December 1, 1966) is an Iranian actor, director, and screenwriter renowned for his contributions to contemporary Iranian cinema, including acclaimed performances in films by directors such as and , as well as his own directorial works that have garnered international recognition. Born in to a of scholars, Mosaffa's , Mozaher Mosaffa, is a prominent Persian and of literature at the , while his mother, Amir Banoo Karimi, is a scholar and also a there, of the Amiri Firuzkuhi. He studied at the , graduating in 1995, before pursuing a career in the arts, debuting as an actor in the 1991 film . Early in his acting career, he earned the Best Actor award at the 10th in 1992 for his role in 's Pari. Mosaffa's notable acting roles include Ahmad in Asghar Farhadi's The Past (2013), a French-Iranian production that premiered at Cannes, and appearances in films like Inversion (2016) and Dance with Me (2019), for which he received the Diploma of Honor for Best Actor at the 37th Fajr International Film Festival. As a director, he made his feature debut with Portrait of a Lady Far Away (2005) and followed with The Last Step (2012), which he also wrote; the film won the FIPRESCI Prize for Best Film at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and the Crystal Simorgh for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Fajr International Film Festival. His screenwriting and directing often explore themes of family dynamics and personal introspection, earning praise for their narrative innovation. In his personal life, Mosaffa married actress in 1998, with whom he has collaborated professionally on several projects, including The Last Step, where she won the Crystal Globe for Best Actress at . The couple has two children: a son, Mani, born in February 2007, and a daughter, Asal, born in October 2008. Fluent in English and interested in story writing from a young age, Mosaffa has lived in since 2012 and continues to work in film, blending acting, directing, and producing, with recent credits including acting in Drunkard Morning (2025) and producing A Tale of Shemroon (2022).

Early life and education

Early life

Ali Mosaffa was born on December 1, 1966, in , . He was the son of Mozaher Mosaffa, who was a renowned Persian and of at the , and Amir Banoo Karimi, who was a prominent scholar and of specializing in classical works such as those of . His maternal grandfather was Seyed Karim Amiri Firuzkuhi, a noted Iranian poet born in 1910 and deceased in 1984. Mosaffa grew up in a family immersed in Persian literary traditions in post-revolutionary Iran.

Education

Ali Mosaffa pursued higher education at the University of Tehran, where he earned a degree in civil engineering in 1995. During his university years, Mosaffa developed a strong passion for , stemming from a period of boredom with his studies that led him to accept an unexpected opportunity in . This newfound interest marked a pivotal shift, gradually steering him away from engineering aspirations toward a professional path in and theater.

Career

Acting career

Mosaffa's acting career began in 1991 with his debut role in the Iranian film , marking his entry into the domestic cinema scene while he was still studying at the . His early work reflected the burgeoning post-revolutionary Iranian , which faced stringent and ideological constraints that limited thematic freedom and required navigating state approvals for production and distribution. A breakthrough arrived in 1995 with his performance in Dariush Mehrjui's Pari, earning him the Crystal Simorgh for Best Supporting Actor at that year's and establishing him as a prominent figure in Iranian arthouse cinema. The following year, Mosaffa starred opposite in Mehrjui's Leila, a role that not only showcased his ability to portray complex emotional dynamics within familial constraints but also led to his meeting his future wife on set. Throughout the , he continued to build his reputation through collaborations with key Iranian directors, embodying introspective characters that resonated with the subtle critiques of societal norms permitted under post-revolutionary guidelines. Mosaffa's transition to international recognition culminated in 2013 with his lead role as Ahmad in Asghar Farhadi's The Past, a French-Iranian co-production that premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival and highlighted his nuanced portrayal of cultural displacement and marital discord. This exposure bridged his domestic roots with global audiences, allowing him to transcend the limitations of Iran's film regulations by working abroad. In recent years, Mosaffa has sustained his momentum with roles in the film Gazelle (2023), the TV series Seven (2023), the television mini-series Accomplice (2023–2024), It's Not the Time (2024), and the upcoming Drunkard Morning (2025), demonstrating his ongoing adaptability in both Iranian and international projects amid evolving industry challenges like increased state oversight.

Directing and producing career

Ali Mosaffa's directorial debut came with the 2005 feature Portrait of a Lady Far Away, a drama starring and that premiered in the main competition at the , where it was nominated for the Crystal Globe award. The film marked his transition from acting to behind-the-camera roles, establishing him as an emerging voice in Iranian cinema through its introspective narrative style. His subsequent directorial efforts include The Last Step (2012), a exploring and loss, which earned the FIPRESCI Prize at the for its innovative handling of narrative structure and emotional depth. Mosaffa returned to directing with Absence (2021), a multilingual production shot in that intertwines themes of displacement and , co-produced across , , and . As a , Mosaffa has supported independent Iranian projects, beginning with his own The Last Step and extending to Safi Yazdanian's What's the Time in Your World? (2014), a contemplative road that premiered at the . Notable producing credits include Homayoun Ghanizadeh's satirical comedy A Hairy Tale (2019), which screened at international festivals like Fajr, and Massoud Bakhshi's Yalda, a Night for Forgiveness (2020), a tense about media and justice that won the World Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic at the . His most recent producing effort, Javad Ebrahiminejad's What's Left Behind (2023), examines grief and unresolved family dynamics in a compact mystery format. Throughout his directorial and producing work, Mosaffa emphasizes themes of personal relationships strained by memory and loss, individual identity amid cultural transitions, and subtle critiques of social constraints in modern , as evident in the relational tensions of The Last Step and the identity explorations in Absence. These elements reflect his approach, often drawing from collaborations with frequent partners like Hatami to highlight emotional authenticity over overt spectacle.

Personal life

Mosaffa married Iranian actress in 1999, whom he met on the set of the 1997 film Leila. The couple has collaborated professionally on several projects, including The Last Step (2012), for which Hatami won the Crystal Globe for Best Actress at the . They have two children: a son, Mani, born in February 2007, and a daughter, Asal, born in October 2008.

Awards and nominations

Fajr International Film Festival

{| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Category ! Nominated work
! Result
-
2012
-
2019
}

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

{| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Category ! Nominated work
! Result
2005
-
2012
-
2012
}

Hafez Awards

{| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Category ! Nominated work
! Result
1997
-
2016
-
2024
}

Other awards

{| class="wikitable" ! Year ! Award ! Category ! Nominated work
! Result
2005
-
2022
-
2022
}

Filmography

Films

YearTitleRole
1991OmidActor
1995PariActor
1996LeilaActor (Reza, the Husband)
2005Portrait of a Lady Far Away (Sima-ye Zani Dar Doordast)Director, Writer
2010There Are Things You Don't KnowActor
2012The Last Step (Pele ye Akhar)Actor (Khosro Shahidi), Director, Writer
2013The Past (Le Passé)Actor (Ahmad)
2014What's the Time in Your World? (Dar Donya-ye To Saat Chand Ast?)Actor, Producer
2015Death of the Fish (Marg-e Mâhi)Actor (Barham)
2016Inversion (Varood)Actor
2018Pig (Khook)Actor (Sohrab Saidi)
2018Dressage (Charkhow)Actor (Golsa's Father)
2018Orange Days (Roozhaye Narenji)Actor
2018A Bigger Game (Bazi-ye Bozorgtar)Actor (Doctor)
2018Tale of the Sea (Dastan Darya)Actor (Doctor)
2019A Man Without a Shadow (Adam-e Bi Sâya)Actor (Mahan Houshyar)
2019Gesture (Eshâre)Actor (Ali)
2019Dance with Me (Bordar O Fâshe)Actor (Jahangir)
2020Yalda, a Night for Forgiveness (Yalda)Producer
2020180 Degree Rule (Qânon-e 180 Daraje)Actor, Producer
2021Absence (Gheyb)Director, Writer
2021Playing with StarsActor
2021The House of Forgetfulness (Khâne-ye Farâmoshi)Producer
2022A MinorActor (Police Officer)
2022A Tale of Shemroon (Dâstân-e Shemroon)Line Producer
2022The Locust (Melakh)Actor
2022Won't You Cry? (Nâgahâni Cheshmhâyet Khâhad Gerye Kardan?)Actor
2023Gazelle (Âho)Actor
2025Guardian of the FieldActor

Television

Ali Mosaffa's television career began in the late 1990s with his debut role in the historical drama series The English Bag (Kif-e Englisi, 1999–2000), where he played the lead character Dr. Mansoor Adiban, an intellectual politician challenging feudalism in post-World War II Iran. He returned to television nearly a decade later in the romantic historical series Paridokht (2007–2008), appearing in a supporting role amid a story of love and societal constraints in early 20th-century Iran. After a long hiatus from TV, Mosaffa resumed with ensemble roles in contemporary dramas during the 2020s. In 2023, he joined the cast of Seven (Haft), a series exploring among friends entangled in moral dilemmas. That same year, he starred in the mini-series Accomplice (Shirikare Jenayi, 2023–2024), portraying a key figure in a involving crime and investigation within a law office. In 2024, Mosaffa appeared in It's Not the Time (Vaqt Nist, 2024), taking on the lead role of Siavash, a man confronting rumors of an impending and personal crises in a small town. He continued with prominent roles in 2025 series, including Drunkard Morning (Bamdad-e Khomar, 2025–), an adaptation of a classic Iranian novel about forbidden love in old . Additionally, in Azaazil (2025–), Mosaffa featured in a thriller centered on disappearances and events investigated by authorities. Mosaffa also had a recurring role as Rabbani in the family drama You Only Go Around Once (Mage Tamame Omr Chandta Bahare, 2023–), which examines disruptions to a family's serene life through unexpected discoveries.

References

  1. https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1104854?language=en-US
  2. https://www.imvbox.com/en/casts/ali-mosaffa
  3. https://www.3continents.com/en/individu/20993/
  4. https://theotheriran.com/2014/06/18/ali-mosaffa-actor-director-and-winner-of-multiple-international-awards/
  5. https://letterboxd.com/director/ali-mosaffa/
  6. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/ali_mosaffa
  7. https://en.mehrnews.com/news/144522/2019-Fajr-Intl-Filmfest-names-winners-A-Russian-Youth-wins
  8. https://fipresci.org/report/experiment-in-narrative-the-last-step/
  9. https://fipresci.org/awards/2012/
  10. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0608214/awards/
  11. https://richmix.org.uk/events/vaak-festival-2025-finding-your-own-cinema-an-independent-filmmaking-workshop-with-ali-mosaffa/
  12. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0608214/
  13. https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/441617/Persian-poet-Mazaher-Mosaffa-dies-at-87
  14. https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/493173/Persian-literature-professor-Amir-Banoo-Karimi-passes-away-at
  15. https://en.ifilmtv.ir/artist/Content/2400
  16. https://www.female.com.au/ali-mosaffa-the-past-interview.htm
  17. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-islamic-censorship-cinema/25259188.html
  18. https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/f/le-passe/
  19. https://cineuropa.org/event/331338/
  20. https://www.sonyclassics.com/thepast/thepast_presskit.pdf
  21. https://fipresci.org/festival/47th-karlovy-vary-film-festival/
  22. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/karlovy-vary-martin-lund-almost-man-346292/
  23. https://cineuropa.org/en/film/453270/
  24. https://www.filmcenter.cz/en/films-people/4158-absence
  25. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/whats-time-your-world-busan-740187/
  26. https://irfilmfestny.com/a-hairy-tale/
  27. https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/384155/
  28. https://mubi.com/en/us/films/what-s-left-behind
  29. https://www.academia.edu/34497898/The_Comparative_Study_of_Joyce_s_The_Dead_and_Mosaffa_s_Film_Adaptation_The_Last_Step
  30. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0608214/bio/
  31. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2161980/awards/
  32. https://www.fajriff.com/en/archive/festival-2019/winners/
  33. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468871/awards/
  34. https://www.hafezawards.com/en/1st-hafez-awards-1997/
  35. https://www.hafezawards.com/en/23rd-hafez-awards-2024/
  36. https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/470965/Iran-s-Absence-Two-Dogs-honored-at-Bengaluru-Intl-Film
  37. https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/478608/Mom-Absence-Lipar-win-awards-at-Asian-Film-Festival-Barcelona
  38. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114092/
  39. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1683042/
  40. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15781398/
  41. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11511434/
  42. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11120636/
  43. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22184664/
  44. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt19939364/
  45. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35376549/
  46. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5329628/
  47. https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/58243-the-english-bag
  48. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6218704/
  49. https://elcinema.com/en/work/2058989/cast
  50. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29719779/
  51. https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/239486-seven
  52. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30701907/
  53. https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/240833-accomplice
  54. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20425918/
  55. https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1104854
  56. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31189898/
  57. https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/303463
  58. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34246030/
  59. https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/281735-azaazil
  60. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28100331/
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