Shabnam Tolouei

Shabnam Tolouei (also spelt Toluie and Tolui and 'Tolooee born in Tehran) is an Iranian actress, theatre director and playwright. She is currently forbidden from working in Iran by the government because of her religion, the Baháʼí Faith, which is subject to state sanctioned persecution. Since December 2004 she is living in Paris, France. and became naturalized French citizen in 2019.
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 culture and Art Training Institute in Tehran.
Her career in Iran
Theatre in Iran
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 Tolouei with Farda Theater Group in Iran.
Novel
My Dear Actor (Bazigar-e aziz-e man) (Cheshmeh Publication), 2002
Acting in feature films in Iran
A house Built on Water (directed by Bahman Farmanara)
Sharareh (directed by Siamak Shayeghi)
The Day I Became a Woman (directed by Marzieh 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
Acting in TV series in Iran
Hamsafar, Ghasem Jafari
Inspector shamsi and madame, Marziye Boroumand
Without Description, Mehdi Mazloumi
A field where reeds grow (Neyestan), Mohamad Mokhtari
Acting in short films in Iran
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
Awards in Iran
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
Autumn Dance (director/playwright/actress) performed in Bing Studio Theatre, Stanford University 2017
Autumn Dance, Stockholm, 9th Women Playwrights International Conference, 2012
Autumn Dance (director/playwright/actress) performed in Persian and French language in paris/prague/stockholm/toronto/jonkoping 2011-2013
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
Her career outside Iran
Film Making
1100, A SHORT FILM (as filmmaker and actress) 2023
Les étoiles, a documentary about women and violence (as filmmaker and editor) editing in progress, USA and France 2018-2019
Dust-Flower-Flame a documentary about the life of Tahirih Qurratul Ayn (as filmmaker and editor) France 2015. The film is screened in different cities in the world like Paris, New York, London, Washington DC, Berkeley, Stanford University, Toronto, Montreal, Arizona, UCLA University, Chicago, San Francisco, etc. and was broadcast by BBC Persian TV in March 2017
Etre pionnier dans la foie Baháʼíe (as director and editor)
Take one (BARDASHTE YEK)/(as director and editor)/ short web documentaries about the followers of Baháʼí faith in France 2011-2012
Film Acting
1100 A SHORT FILM /Shabnam Tolouei
Mitra/Kaweh Modiri/Baldr Film Production
Red Rose/Sepideh Farsi/ feature film/ 2013
Women Without Men/ Shirin Neshat/ feature film/ 2009
La torture blanche (Arash Naimian/ short film) 2009
Munes (Shirin Neshat/ Video installation) 2007
Au dernier recours (Nazmjou) Paris, 2006
Theatre
THE ART OF IMPROVISATION (actress) with Shahrokh Moshkin Ghalam, Pejman Hadadi, Behfar Bahadoran, Performed in Stanford University, Munich, Canada, Seattle, Arizona, Orange County, Los Angeles, Fresno 2023
Diaspora (Director and actor) performed in Stanford University 2023
Tarabnameh (Actress) by Bahram Beyzaei, performed in Stanford University 2016
Bahman-bagdad (playwright and dictor), Krefeld, 2010-2012 for Krefeld city theatre in German Language with german actors 2010-2012
Autumn Dance (director/playwright/actress) performed in Persian and French language 2011-2017
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
Radio Programs in Persian Language
Podcasts for Aasoo Org since 2019
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
Her Songs
Dance! as singer , produced by Majid Kazemi Music Video
A Girl , as singer, produced by Ares Band and Rasool Sadri Music Video
Unripe Apple , as singer, actor and video director, music produced by Majid Kazemi, video produced by UnitedVoiceSE Music Video
Other Prensentations
Shabnam Tolouei holds Instagramlive programs, interviewing specialists in the field of psycology and social sciences since 2019. She has already been hosting official ceremonies in France and the US since 2015. She has her online acting workshop and weekly courses for Persian speaking students since 2021.
References
Shabnam Tolouei: "Impact of Immigration on Professional Career" | Talks at Google
https://web.archive.org/web/20070810121726/http://www.marienbad.org/gastgruppen/kissyou.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20070929080811/http://www.dramaturgische-gesellschaft.de/aktuelles/einladung.pdf
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
Shabnam Tolouei's YouTube Channel
Shabnam Tolouei's Instagram
Tavaana website interviews Shabnam Tolouei
Shabnam Tolouie's Weblog
VOA interviews Shabnam Tolouei about her performance in Canada 2012
Shabnam Tolouei's Facebook Page
Radio Farda Podcast about Shabnam Tolouei's life and childhood
Living people
Actresses from Tehran
French Bahá'ís
Iranian Bahá'ís
20th-century Bahá'ís
21st-century Bahá'ís
Iranian women writers
Iranian film actresses
Iranian stage actresses
Iranian women film directors
Iranian diaspora film people
Iranian television actresses
Iranian dramatists and playwrights
Year of birth missing (living people)