Amina Maher

Biography

Amina Maher (Persian: امین ماهر, born 1992) is an Iranian-born queer feminist artist, activist, actress, and filmmaker living in Berlin, Germany. Her works are focused on the breakdown of family structure, shame culture, and patriarchal myths. Her creative works criticize traditions, media, culture, and norms. Her cinematic activity began as the main actor in Abbas Kiarostami and Mania Akbari´s Ten (2002) nominated for the Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival. Since then, she acted, edited and has been in films that have been part of festivals such as Cannes Film Festival, British Film Institute, San Sebastián International Film Festival and International Film Festival Rotterdam. Her directorial short films have been internationally well received with +200 festival participations and +50 Awards from festivals such as Ann Arbor Film Festival, TLVFest, Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, Expresión en Corto International Film Festival and Shorts México, among many others. Her three short films - Letter to My Mother, Out of Frame and Where Is the Friend´s Home? - have been part of the Internationales Frauen* Film Fest Dortmund+Köln and Museum Ostwall in 2022. Her creative work explores childhood memories, mental health and self-realization with a mission to amplify trans and queer storylines. Her first directorial debüt feature has been part of Berlin International Film Festival - Dok Station Lab, Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival - CPH:DOX Forum, and FID Lab Marseille Festival of Documentary Film.