My name is Ghorban Mohammadpour.  I am 35years old and from the Lahejan region, which is located in the Northern part of Iran.  I have a degree in “Directing” from Tehran University’s art and cinema school.  I am currently a student in the Master’s Program at this university in the field of literary and performing arts.  I am also a screenwriter and a member of the Screenwriters Guild of Iran.  My passion is screenwriting and I love to write in general. It has been over 10 years that I have started writing, but since the year 2000, I have been writing screenplays professionally.  During this period, I have made 7 short narrative films.  I wanted to direct my first feature film and applied twice for permission from the Ministry of Culture.  Unfortunately, they rejected my application and therefore, I gave up on directing.

The important aspects of cinema for me are the audience and the film’s success at the box office.  I like to make films that are box office hits and the best of the year in terms of sales.  The first script I wrote was called “Bale Boron” which was made in 2005.  It had record sales of over 12 millyard Rials in Iran.  My second film was called tickle” (Gilgilak) which was made in 2007 sold very well too.  My third film “Taxi Driver” (Randeh Taxi) is being screened now in Iran.  My fourth film “Women are  Angels” will be released in May of 2008 in over 70 theatres across Iran.  It is speculated to be one of the best selling films of this year in Iran.  The biggest stars in Iranian cinema have acted in this film.  My last film which just finished shooting is called “Cockfight” (Khoros Janghi) which I expect to be a big seller as well.

Currently, I have 3 scripts that are in pre-production and will start shooting in June 2008.  The first one is called “White Rose” which will be directed by Ms. Friyal Behzad and the name will be changed probably.  The second is “Distance” which will be directed by Mohammad Reza Zahtabi and the third is “Ice in Paradise” by Hassan Karbaksh.  I have 2 other scripts which I have given to the Producers Guild of Iran and are supposed to be made this year as well.  The first is “In Search of Paradise” which is a spiritual comedy which I expect will be screened at many film festivals across the world.  The second one is called “Gangster”.

These days I am working on two new synopses, but I don’t have the energy and will power to start writing the scripts yet.  I have been damaged enough by the head of the Ministry of Culture in Iran and I really do not wish to work in Iran anymore. 

I have one term left before I get my Master’s Degree.  After receiving my Master’s degree, I am planning to apply to come to the U.S.  My plan is to continue my studies there to get a Ph.D. and write scripts in Hollywood, because I am an experienced screenwriter.  My scripts are mostly comedies and good sellers.  With this in mind and the many obstacles and censorship in Iranian cinema, I expect my scripts to do well and be successful in Hollywood.  I hope that I can come to the U.S. and pursue a new career in American cinema.

Ghorban Mohammadpour

  ghorbanm@yahoo.com

THE REALITY of life is  life itself , whose beginning is not in the womb , and whose ending is not in the grave . for the years that pass are naught but a moment in eternal life , and the world of matter and all in it is but a dream compared to the awakening which we call the terror of death

April 25, 2008

Life is an enchantress who seduces us with her beauty – but he who knows her wiles will flee her enchantments 

Life is partly what we make it ' and partly what it is made by the friends we choose