After several short films and documentaries, Jafar Panahi directed his first feature The White Balloon (Badkonake Sefid) which premiered in 1977 in Cannes’ Directors Fortnight and won the Camera d’Or. The Mirror (Ayneh) premiered in 2000 in Locarno and won the Golden Leopard. ‘The Circle’ (Dayereh) premiered in 2003 In Venice and won the Golden Lion. Crimson Gold (Talayeh Sorkh) premiered in Un Certain Regard in Cannes and won The Jury Prize.
Jafar Panahi’s films are known for portraying realistic images of the Iranian society, causing them to be banned from the screen in Iran.
In fact only his first film The White Balloon has been granted the screening license in Iran.
That is the reason that his past three films were made without authorization.
Panahi has won a number of human right prizes, such as the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and The Medal of Art for Freedom.