Iran gala names Hatami as best actress

Leila Hatami has received the award for best actress in a leading role at the 11th edition of the Iran film critics and screenwriters gala in Tehran.

Announcing the winners recently, the organizers said Hatami won the award for her appearance in ‘Subdued’ directed by Hamid Nematollah.

She grabbed the award in competition with Elnaz Shakerdoust for ‘Asphyxia’, Sorayya Qasemi for ‘Villa Residents’, Zahra Davoudnejad for ‘Soheila No.17’, Sara Bahrami for ‘Italy Italy’, and Mohaddeseh Heirat for ‘The Home’.

Born in 1972, Hatami is the daughter of renowned Iranian director Ali Hatami and has appeared in some of her father’s films, even as a child actress, including ‘Hezar Dastan’, ‘Kamal-ol-Molk’ and ‘The Devoted’ from 1987 to 1992.

She went to Switzerland and embarked on her studies in electrical engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. Just two years later, she shifted her field of study to French Literature. Hatami returned to Iran in 1996 when her father became ill.

Her first appearance in a leading role was in the film ‘Leila’ in 1997. Hatami has starred in numerous movies and won many prestigious awards throughout her successful career.

Appearing in movies such as ‘Sheida’, ‘The Deserted Station’, ‘Season Salad’, ’40 Years Old’, ‘A Separation’, ‘There Are Things You Don’t Know’ and ‘The Orange Suit’ from 1999 to 2011, the actress received Crystal Simorgh nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Fajr International Film Festival.

In 2012, she was nominated for the Asian Film Award and People's Choice Award at the Asian Film Awards for her role in ‘A Separation’ and was a member of the Jury of Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Czech Republic) in 2006.

‘Subdued’ follows the story of woman (played by Hatami) who is in need of financial and emotional support after her divorce. She meets a so-called right guy, but things may not unfold as expected.

MG/AI