• Biography
Kazem Mollaie, an independent filmmaker born in Iran in 1981, embarked on his filmmaking journey with short films in 1999. He holds a B.A. in Cinema Directing from "Soore University of Tehran," which he earned in 2005. Recently, he settled in the UK under the Global Talent Visa program in the field of cinema, where he continues to pursue his passion for filmmaking in London.
Throughout his career, Mollaie has actively engaged with various film organizations. He is a member of esteemed guilds such as the "Directors UK", the "Directors Guild of Iran", the Board of Directors of the "Iranian Short Film Association" (ISFA), the "Iranian Alliance of Motion Picture Guilds" (House of Cinema), and the "Iranian Youth Cinema Society" (IYCS).
He has had the opportunity to participate in numerous film festivals, both as a jury member and as part of the selection committee. Notable events include the Tehran International Short Film Festival (Academy Awards® Qualifying), Iran Cinema Celebration, Nahal International Student Short Film Festival, Varesh International Short Film Festival, and the Iranian Independent Short Film Ceremony (ISFA AWARDS).
Mollaie gained recognition for his short films, including "MINUS" (2009) and "DELETE" (2011). However, it was his debut feature film, "KUPAL" (2017), that resonated with audiences and critics, garnering attention for its unique storytelling and artistic approach. This film had the honor of being screened at multiple prestigious film festivals around the world, including "New Horizons" in Poland, "Belgrade" in Serbia, "Kerala" and "Kolkata" in India, "Split" in Croatia, "Anchorage" in the USA, "Black Movie" in Switzerland, "Hamilton" in Canada, "Ischia" in Italy, and "Bogota" in Colombia, bringing significant acclaim to Iranian cinema.
In 2020, Mollaie released his second feature film, "THE BADGER," which received critical acclaim. The film was nominated for Best Film at the "23rd Shanghai International Film Festival" (China) [ASIAN NEW TALENT AWARD] during its World Premiere and also competed at the "27th Austin Film Festival" during its North American premiere, earning the Best Narrative Jury Award at this renowned screenwriter's event.
Currently, he is working on his new project, "EIDOLOGY," a documentary feature film in the post-production stage.
