Thursday May 15, 2025 14:21212

Portrait of costume/ set designer Malek-Jahan Khazaee

Read on to know more about Iran's master of costume/ set designer Malek-Jahan Khazaee.

Malek-Jahan Khazaee is a prominent Iranian set and costume designer with decades of experience in theater, cinema, and television.

With a career that spans both Iran and Europe, she has left a significant mark on the visual identity of Iranian performing arts.

Khazaee began her artistic journey in the UK, where she studied fine arts—painting and sculpture—at the University of London, graduating in 1967.

She later earned a master's degree in arts management from University College London (UCL) in 1972 and completed an internship with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Her professional career started in 1970 at London’s Royal Court Theatre as a set and costume designer.

During this period, she also wrote and illustrated two children’s books, ‘The Patient Stone’ and ‘The Deer Prince’, published in France, for which she received awards including Best Author and Illustrator of the Year and recognition from the French Women’s Association.

Returning to Iran in 1972 at the invitation of the Ministry of Culture and Arts, Khazaee became the permanent designer for the Iranian Theater Department.

She collaborated with notable figures such as Ezzatollah Entezami, Davoud Rashidi, and Rokneddin Khosravi on over 45 stage productions.

She also worked on several television series, including ‘Samak the Ayyar’ and ‘Ancient Persian Legends’ and ‘Lost’.

Her debut in Iranian cinema was with the 1974 film ‘Prince Ehtejab’, directed by Bahman Farmanara.

Prior to the 1979 Islamic revolution, she contributed to acclaimed films such as ‘The Long Shadows of the Wind’ and ‘The Kingdom’.

Post-revolution, she continued her prolific work, designing for a long list of films including ‘Zero Heights’ (1993), ‘The Poor Lover’ (1995), ‘The Butterfly’s Birth’ (1997), ‘Two Women’ (1998), ‘The Burnt Generation’ (1999), ‘Rain’ (2001), and ‘The Little Lady’ (2002).

Malek-Jahan Khazaee also designed the stage for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 33rd Fajr International Film Festival.

Khazaee’s work has earned her several prestigious accolades. She received the Golden Plaque for Special Achievement of the Year, and was awarded the Crystal Simorgh for best set design in the international competition section of the 16th Fajr International Film Festival in 1997 for her work on ‘The Butterfly’s Birth’.

Earlier, in 1993, she won the Crystal Simorgh for best set decoration in the national competition of the 12th Fajr Film Festival for ‘Zero Heights’.

iFilm English website wishes him continued success and many more years of creative contributions to the world of cinema.

More profile articles:

Kamand Amir-Soleymani

Farajollah Salahshour

Hamid Khozouee Abyaneh

Mohammad-Reza Shojaee

Iraj Raminfar

Amir Esbati

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