Home
Work
Profile
Chat
Goli (2021)
Kimia Kazemi
On the surface, GOLI (2021) is a film about a young Iranian girl named Goli who indulges in the springtime and its blooming flowers as she tries to cultivate them back in her life amidst the brutally cold autumn season. However, hidden and protected beneath layers of metaphors for the purpose of circumventing censorship lies a deeper socio-political message: the oppression of Iranian women and their lack of freedom of expression. In her bachelor thesis, Kimia Kazemi studies the most common metaphorical strategies used in Iranian cinema to bypass censorship; she employs some of these strategies in her bachelor project in order to address a feministic, socio-political topic. The project and the thesis aim to show how a story can be told in a limited cinema and to help viewers of film understand how Iranian cinema is shaped by its political background.
Kimia Kazemi
Kimia Kazemi is an Iranian photographer and film director. She has been photographing professionally since 2014 and has been active in the field of filmmaking since 2019. She is currently finishing her studies for a bachelor's degree in photography at the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in Berlin, Germany. Kazemi began her career by photographing various plays by the notable Iranian theatre director Saman Arastou. After moving to Berlin for her studies and working on several photo projects, she made her very first short film: Neighbour's House (2019). The film was selected to be shown at the Arsenal Cinema in Berlin as part of the Film and Motion Design program of the University of Europe. In 2020, Kazemi earned a certificate of completion for her internship at the Farabi Cinema Foundation, which is the leading film industry body in Iran. Kimia Kazemi resides in Stahnsdorf, Germany, where she recently completed her new short film: Goli (2021).
Where do you see yourself in 20 years?
In twenty years, I see myself as a full-time Iranian director. I envision working with my all-time favourites to bring my ideas to life through cinema.
What is a good design for you?
One with visual balance and a good narrative.
What was the most challenging experience during your studies?
Dealing with perfectionism.
Who or what inspires you?
The genius Abbas Kiarostami, one of the most notable Iranian filmmakers of all time.
How do you approach a new project?
With determination and persistence.
What advice would you give to students who just started studying in your programme?
Use the camera as an extension of yourself, with which you tell your truth. Also, be open to criticism and use it as a tool to grow as an artist.
Have you changed during your studies? How?
Absolutely. My eyey have become more sensitive to detail, and I have become more adept at expressing myself through art. Additionally, I have gained technical knowledge about the camera as well as theoretical knowledge about media. I have also gotten to know many more influential artists than before.
Why did you choose to study in your programme?
I believe a good filmmaker should at first be a good photographer. Therefore, I chose to study photography for my bachelor's degree to strengthen my photographic eye in preparation for filmmaking.
What are you not going to miss in your studies?
One word: stress.
How are you going to celebrate your graduation?
I'm celebrating my graduation by resting for three years to even it out. Balance is the key to the universe, as they say!
