One of the most recognized young film directors of the world, Samira Makhmalbaf is the daughter of the famous Iranian movie maker Mohsen Makhmalbaf.
Samira was born on February 15,1980, in Teharan, the capital of Iran. Her entry into the film world was by playing the role of a gypsy girl in her father's Bicycleran (1987), at the age of eight.At the age of 15, she started making short films, with the assistance of her father. She joined a private film institute at the same time.She directed two short videos, a drama entitled Desert and a documentary entitled Styles in Painting in tis time.
In 1998, she became the youngest director ever invited to the Cannes Film Festival for her film "The Apple".
She was of 18 years of age at that time. "The Apple" was her debut feature film as a director and she continued her success with the second film "Blackboards", which addresses the condition of Iran's Kurdish population through the adventures of two teachers.
Her latest movie the "Spetember 11"(2003) gathered wide attraction as the first movie made in the post-war Afghanistan.
Samira is considered to be an outspoken political provocateur and a deeply talented filmmaker of Iran.