Jalal Fatemi
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Jalal Fatemi is an Iranian-American film actor, director and painter. He graduated from Judge Memorial High School in Salt Lake City in 1975 and later studied art at Westminster College and the University of Utah.
In 1978, he moved to Valencia, California, to study film at CalArts. After earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, he worked as a production assistant on several Hollywood productions, including Francis Ford Coppola's One from the Heart and The American Heart, starring Jeff Bridges. He subsequently worked as a film editor at Comcast Cable Vision. During his six-year tenure at the company, he also directed and produced numerous television spots and promotional videos.
In 1989, he wrote and directed a sci-fi film, The Nuclear Baby, which garnered several awards at various US film festivals. The film received broad distribution and was broadcast on television networks across the United States and Europe.
In 1995, Jalal Fatemi returned to his homeland, Iran. While producing many award-winning commercials and television programs, he directed his first Iranian feature film, Nokhodi [The Little Pea]. The film won the Golden Butterfly award for Best Film, Best Visual Effects, and Best Director at the Iran International Children's Film Festival. His next film, Don't Forget Your Childhood, a sci-fi comedy, was released in 2015 and later entered numerous international film festivals. Both films were widely distributed throughout Iran and were warmly received by audiences.
Jalal Fatemi is a well-known actor in Iran. Some of his most recognized film performances include The Fox, Don't Be Tired, The Puzzle, 21 Days Later, Dressage, Weightlessness, The Silent Terror, Them and For Rana.
Jalal Fatemi is also an accomplished painter. His last exhibition garnered critical acclaim in 2024. He is the nephew of Sohrab Sepehri, the legendary Iranian painter and poet.
In 1978, he moved to Valencia, California, to study film at CalArts. After earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, he worked as a production assistant on several Hollywood productions, including Francis Ford Coppola's One from the Heart and The American Heart, starring Jeff Bridges. He subsequently worked as a film editor at Comcast Cable Vision. During his six-year tenure at the company, he also directed and produced numerous television spots and promotional videos.
In 1989, he wrote and directed a sci-fi film, The Nuclear Baby, which garnered several awards at various US film festivals. The film received broad distribution and was broadcast on television networks across the United States and Europe.
In 1995, Jalal Fatemi returned to his homeland, Iran. While producing many award-winning commercials and television programs, he directed his first Iranian feature film, Nokhodi [The Little Pea]. The film won the Golden Butterfly award for Best Film, Best Visual Effects, and Best Director at the Iran International Children's Film Festival. His next film, Don't Forget Your Childhood, a sci-fi comedy, was released in 2015 and later entered numerous international film festivals. Both films were widely distributed throughout Iran and were warmly received by audiences.
Jalal Fatemi is a well-known actor in Iran. Some of his most recognized film performances include The Fox, Don't Be Tired, The Puzzle, 21 Days Later, Dressage, Weightlessness, The Silent Terror, Them and For Rana.
Jalal Fatemi is also an accomplished painter. His last exhibition garnered critical acclaim in 2024. He is the nephew of Sohrab Sepehri, the legendary Iranian painter and poet.
