Art of Change-Making: Philanthropy at its Best -- Lady of the Roses

UCLA-CNES Bilingual Lecture Series on Iran

LADY OF THE ROSES
A Documentary Film (With English subtitles)
Followed by a Panel Discussion (Bilingual)
 
Sunday November 14, 2010, 5:00PM - 8:00PM
Dodd Hall, 148, UCLA
 
Synopsis

Directed by Mojtaba Mirtahmasb (2008, Iran), "Lady of the Roses" is the name given to late Shahindokht Sanati, a woman who went to Lalehzaar region of Kerman before the Islamic Revolution, and replaced poppies fields with roses gardens and opium with rosewater and took this so far as transforming the agricultural destiny of a whole region. The story is told by Homayoun Sanati, Shahindokht's spouse and three years after her death. He is the founder of "Franklin Publishing," "Offset printing house," "Pars Paper Co.," etc. and who, as a whole, is considered a one-of-kind figure in Iran's culture, industry and entrepreneurship.

The late Shahindokht Sanati
Jadid Online's story on Lady of Roses
 

Panelists:

• Zahra Dowlatabadi, Executive Producer of the film Lady of the Roses, Documentary filmmaker and Animation Producer

• Mahasti Afshar, Executive Director, Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA)

• Farideh Hatami, Program Staff, the California Endowment

 Moderator:  Nayereh Tohidi, Professor, CSUN

Mojtaba Mirtahmasb, Director, Producer of Lady of the Roses
He was born in 1971 and graduated with a B.A. at Art University, Tehran, Iran. In 1995, Mirtahmasb began his career as a sound technician and documentary filmmaker. In 1996, he made a short documentary entitled, "Sign." Some of his other documentaries include "The River Still Has Fish", "Off Beat", "Back Vocal" and "Home Is in Our Past". Mirtahmasb is also the acting Chair of the Iranian Documentary Film Association.

Zahra Dowlatabadi is an award winning animation producer and also a documentary filmmaker. Dowlatabadi holds an MA in Film from USC and a BA in English Literature and Film from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Her passion for empowering children to become agents of social change continues to guide her work. She is the executive producer of the film Lady of the Roses.

Mahasti Afshar joined the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) as Executive Director in 2010 where she is focused on engaging youth, connecting the community, and enhancing its voice in the democratic process. Since earning a PhD at Harvard in Sanskrit and Indo European Folklore and Mythology (1988), she has held executive positions at some of America's nonprofit institutions, including the Getty Conservation Institute, the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. Dr. Afshar has produced award-winning exhibitions, documentaries, virtual reality galleries, and books. Her career began in 1968 at the National Iranian Radio and Television and continued at the Shiraz/Persepolis Arts Festival until 1978 when the religious establishment forced it to shut down. She also holds an M.A. from Harvard University and has diplomas in film and Television production from the BBC, London, and ORTF, Paris (1968-69).

Farideh Hatami, has extensive experience working in non-profit sector and is currently working as program staff for The California Endowment and provides support to projects designed to improve the health of low income communities in California. Her passion to work with underserved youth population led her to get involved in policy work and propose a senate bill to improve the ability of youth in probation, to better communicate with their children. Farideh, a resident of Los Angeles, received her B.S. in Computer Sciences, and her Masters from CSUN, School of Public Health.

Shahindokht Sanati's resting place