Iranian cinema has suffered a significant loss with the passing of Naser Taghvai on Tuesday, October 14th, 2025. The acclaimed director, screenwriter, and photographer was a seminal figure and one of the most influential auteurs of Iran’s New Wave cinema, known for films that combine psychological depth, visual precision, and a sharp, critical eye on society.
Born in Abadan in 1941, Taghvai began his career as a documentarian before directing his acclaimed debut feature, Tranquility in the Presence of Others (1970). Despite domestic bans, the film won the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival. He later created celebrated works, including Captain Khorshid (1987), the television series My Uncle Napoleon (1976), and The Unruled Paper (2001), each reflecting his signature attention to character, narrative, and visual storytelling.
Taghvai was a defining voice of Iran’s New Wave—a cinematic movement dedicated to portraying the realities of ordinary life with poetic realism and emotional depth. Emerging alongside other visionary filmmakers of the 1960s and 1970s, he crafted a deeply personal cinematic language rooted in regional culture, moral introspection, and literary sophistication. His legacy continues to resonate, speaking to both the heart and conscience of audiences.
The Cinema Museum of Iran honors Naser Taghvai’s extraordinary legacy, celebrating his vision and artistry as an auteur whose films continue to influence and inspire Iranian cinema.