Shabnam Tolouei

Photo of Shabnam Tolouei by Maryam Ashrafi

Shabnam Toluie (also spelt Toloui, Persian: شبنم طلوعی‎‎), born in Tehran, Iran, is an Iranian actress, theatre director and playwright. She is currently forbidden from working in Iran by the government because of her religion, the Bahá'í Faith. Since December 2004 she is living in Paris, France.

Biography

She has studied in the field of filmmaking in Tehran, in Bagh-Ferdos Film School and has her B.A. in Theatre Studies from Université Paris X, Nanterre, France. She has been writing short stories for cultural magazines since 1990, acting on stage since 1993, and writing plays since 1994. Since 2002 she has also taught the bio-mechanic method and acting for camera at Kranameh cultur and Art Training Institute in Tehran.

Experiences in Iran

Theatre

• Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare (Directed by Ali Raffi)
• The one thousand and first night (Written and Directed by Bahram Bayzai)
• Blood wedding, lorka (Directed by Ali Raffi)
• Shazde Ehtedjab, Hooshang Golshiri (Directed by Ali Raffi)
• The Maids, Jean Genet(Directed by Ali Raffi)
• Bizhan and Manizhe(Epic play based on Ferdowsi's Shahname)directed by Pari Saberi
• Kiss you and Tears, Charmshir (Directed by Mohammad Aghebati)
• Roya's room, Foroozand
• On the Earth, Foroozand
• Hamzad, Amir Dejakam
• Cries and demands by the city wall, Tankred Dorst, Directed by Hassan Majouni
• Tomorrow(*)
• Morad(*)
• The 7th Act(*), 1995
• Bitter Coffee(*) (Social drama, published in 2003)
• Bahman Baghdad (*)(a Romance based on Iran–Iraq War), 2003

(*): Plays written and directed by Shabnam Tolouie with Farda(Tomorrow) theater group.

Novel

• My Dear Actor (Bazigar-e aziz-e man) (Cheshmeh Publication, ISBN 964-362-035-2), 2002

Feature Films

• A house Built on Water (Directed by Bahman Farmanara)
• Sharareh (Directed by Siamak Shayeghi)
• The day I became a Woman (Directed by Marziye Meshkini) DVD is available in Europe and US
• A notebook from the heaven, (Daftari az aseman) Parviz Sheykh Tadi
• Chocolate, Afshin Sherkat
• A flower for Maryam, Hassan Aghakarimi

TV series

• Hamsafar, Ghasem Jafari
• Inspector shamsi and madame, Marziye Boroumand
• Bedoone sharh, Mehdi Mazloumi
• A field where reeds grow (Neyestan), Mohamad Mokhtari

Short films

• No one talks to no one (Hich kas ba hich kas harf nemizanad), Bonakdar& Alimohammadi
• Love is alone (Eshgh tanhast), Bonakdar & Alimohammadi
• Desert of the mirrors (Kavir-e ayeneha), Bonakdar & Alimohammadi
• A flower for Maryam (Goli bara-ye Mariam), Aghakarimi

Awards

• The Best Actress in 14th International Fajre Theatre Festival, Iran, 1996
• The Second Best playwright in 14th International Fajre Theatre Festival, Iran, 1996
• The Second Best Actress in 15th International Fajre Theatre Festival, Iran, 1997
• The Second Best Director in 21st International Fajre Theatre Festival, Iran, 2003
• The Best Actress in 22nd International Fajre Theatre Festival, Iran, 2004

International Theatre Performances

• Bitter Coffee, Silk road theatre festival in Ruhr, Mulheim, Germany, 2003
• Kiss you and Tears, Far and Near east festival in Berlin, German, 2004
• Kiss you and Tears in Freiburg, Germany, 2004
• Kiss you and Tears, Silk road theatre festival in Ruhr, Mulheim, Germany, 2004
• Kiss you and Tears, Sharjah festival, Sharjah, UAE, 2005
• Kiss you and Tears, Wiesbaden, Stuttgart, Heidelberg, Germany, 2006
• Kiss you and tears, Berlin, 2006
• Bahman-bagdad, Krefeld, 2010-2012^[1]
• Autumn Dance, Stockholm, 9th Women Playwrights International Conference, 2012
• Autumn Dance, Prague, 2012
• Autumn Dance, Toronto, Paria Trillium, 2012
• Autumn Dance, Jonkoping, Sweden, 2013

Experiences in France

Documentary film

• Dust-Flower-Flame a documentary about the life of Tahirih Qurratul Ayn (as filmmaker and editor) France 2015

Feature film

• Red Rose/Sepideh Farsi/ feature film/ 2013
• Women Without Men/ Shirin Neshat/ feature film/ 2009

Short film

• La torture blanche (Arash Naimian/ short film) 2009
• Munes (Shirin Neshat/ Video installation) 2007
• Au dernier recours (Nazmjou/short film) Paris, 2006

Theatre

• Microphone (director/playwright/actress), still rehearsing
• Autumn Dance (director/playwright/actress) performed in Persian and French language in paris/prague/stockholm/toronto/jonkoping 2011-2013
• Bahman-Bagdad (as playwright and director) for Krefeld city theatre in German Language with german actors 2010-2012
• L'entretien (as director and actress )/a Persian play by Mohammad Rahmanian, performed in French language /Lilas En Scène/ Paris 2006
• Louvre vue d'ailleurs, musical performance, in Louvre Museum / teamwork /Paris 2005

TV Series

• Take one (BARDASHTE YEK)/(as director and editor)/ short documentaries about the followers of Bahai faith in France 2011-2012

Radio Programs in Persian Language

• Tasvir 2006-2007 for Payamedoost radio
• Beresad be daste to 2008/ Payamedoost radio
• Sahba and me (pavaraghihaye mano sahba) 2009/ Payamedoost radio
• Album 2012-2013 /Payamedoost Radio

References

• http://www.marienbad.org/gastgruppen/kissyou.htm
• http://www.dramaturgische-gesellschaft.de/aktuelles/einladung.pdf
• http://www.tagesspiegel.de/kultur/archiv/03.04.2004/1056132.asp
• http://www.parstimes.com/theatre/female_playwrights.html
• http://en.theater.ir/article.aspx?id=6841
• http://www.chehrehnama.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=4881
• http://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne_gen_cpersonne=400802.html
• http://news.cision.com/se/riksteatern/r/internationellt-hyllade-autumn-dance-pa-riksteaterturne,c9469203

External links

• Tavaana website interviews Shabnam Tolouei
• (Persian) Shabnam Tolouie's Weblog
• VOA interviews Shabnam Tolouei about her performance in Canada 2012