Alborz: We Climb Mountains (2023, 86 mins.), tells the story of the school during many tumultuous years in Iran’s modern history, from the perspectives of its graduates, teachers, and even Dr. Mojtahedi’s own voice from archival recordings; it tells it with humor, fondness, and nostalgia for a bygone era. It exemplifies what has been lost in the years since the 1979 Revolution and why today so many among the bright and promising young Iranians sound critical of current policies and administrative mishandling of one of their country’s once top educational institutions.
Maryam Sepehri is an award-winning, Iranian-American documentary filmmaker. Initially earning a medical degree, she went on to work in a lab where she quickly realized her heart was in filmmaking and so educated herself in her true vocation. After achieving a B.A. in filmmaking and an M.A. in photography she pursued documentary filmmaking, focusing on human expression and learning. She has made several well-received documentaries, winning a number of prestigious awards as well as having a number of short stories published.
Sponsor(s): Center for Near Eastern Studies, Iranian Studies, The Musa Sabi Term Chair of Iranian Studies and the Amuzegar Chair in Iranian Studies.