Hossein Martin Fazeli: A Cinematic Voice for Social Change

Fazeli’s journey as a filmmaker is deeply intertwined with his personal history. As a young boy, he witnessed unimaginable horrors—extreme poverty, violence, and the exploitation of the most vulnerable. These experiences, however, also exposed him to the remarkable heroism of ordinary people who, in the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution, bravely stood up against the oppressive forces of the regime. It was these dual experiences of witnessing both the darkest and the most inspiring aspects of humanity that motivated Fazeli to become a filmmaker with a mission: to use stories as a tool for social change. While the past ten years have seen him focus primarily on documentary filmmaking, Fazeli began his career in the realm of fictional cinema and continues to nurture several fictional projects that he hopes to realize in the future.

Over the past two decades, Fazeli has produced, directed, and written numerous films that have been broadcast globally on platforms such as ARTE, BBC, and Canal+, earning him 37 international awards. His work is characterized by its focus on human rights, women’s rights, and minority rights, often shedding light on stories that the mainstream media overlooks. One of his most notable works, The Tale of Two Nazanins (2007), is a powerful documentary about a teenage girl on death row in Iran. The film ignited an international campaign that ultimately saved her life, showcasing the tangible impact that documentary filmmaking can have.

Fazeli’s commitment to using film as a vehicle for change extends beyond his own work. As an educator and mentor, he has lectured at prestigious institutions such as Simon Fraser University (Canada), the School of Oriental and African Studies (UK), Aarhus University (Denmark), and the European Film Academy. His workshops provide invaluable insights into the creative process of filmmaking and the challenges and rewards of making impactful documentaries. He believes that anyone with a compelling story and a passion for change can make a powerful documentary, and he dedicates himself to helping aspiring filmmakers harness their potential.

In June 2024, Fazeli conducted a highly successful workshop in Los Angeles, organized by LAPAC and Maleki Media, where he shared his vast experience and knowledge with a new generation of filmmakers. The workshop, titled “Transforming the World, One Film at a Time,” was an intensive exploration of how documentary cinema can be a powerful tool for social impact. Participants were inspired by Fazeli’s approach to storytelling—one that emphasizes the importance of narratives in shaping reality and the role of filmmakers in challenging the status quo.

Now residing in North America, Fazeli continues to produce films that inspire and provoke thought, pushing the boundaries of what documentary cinema can achieve. His work is a testament to the belief that film, when used thoughtfully and with purpose, can indeed transform the world.

 

ZH: 1. Your work often focuses on powerful social issues, using film as a medium for change. What first inspired you to pursue filmmaking as a tool for social justice?

Film has always been a powerful catalyst for social change. From pioneers like Sergei Eisenstein to visionary directors such as Lina Wertmüller and Stanley Kramer, filmmakers have used the magic of cinema to inspire and ignite transformation. I believe the turning point came with the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.

As a result of that revolution and the political turmoil that followed, I lost friends and family members to fire squads for crimes as petty as distributing band opposition papers. The initial years of post-revolution Iran were like a descent into inferno, a time of unimaginable suffering. My beloved homeland seemed to have plunged into an unfathomable abyss, and the very fabric of reality lost its coherence! It was a time of profound confusion and despair. I had to leave. My homeland had become unsafe, even for ‘kids’ like me. 

My parents arranged for me to be smuggled out of the country through the troubled waters of the Persian Gulf. That’s when my exile began. It was a journey of a lifetime that took me to Asia, Africa, and finally North America.

In the first part of that journey, I had the unfortunate opportunity to witness things that no one should ever have to endure. I saw extreme poverty firsthand (and by ‘extreme’ I mean extreme: mothers so malnourished that they could not produce milk for their newborn babies); I saw violence in one of its ugliest forms: Girls as young as 14 and 15 having been subjected to unspeakable acts of violence under unimaginable circumstances. Girls with no legal representation, no police protection, and no safety net.

But that was only one side of the coin. During those years, I also saw the heroism of ordinary people whose willpower and resolve to stop exploitation should be the envy of any compassionate human rights activist today! Unfortunately, many of these stories remain untold by the film and media industries. I see film as a powerful tool to bridge that gap, as it allows for nuanced portrayals of complex issues and offers a way to engage audiences emotionally and intellectually. And that is why I am a social justice filmmaker.  

ZH: 2. The Tale of Two Nazanins” is one of your most recognized works, credited with saving a life. How did you approach such a sensitive and impactful story, and what was the most challenging part of its creation? 

For readers who may not be familiar with the film, let me share a brief overview of the story: In the winter of 2007, 17-year-old Nazanin Fatehi was walking in a park in Karaj with her niece when they were attacked by three men who wanted to rape them. Nazanin, a fierce warrior at heart, defended herself and her niece with a knife she had on her. In what followed, one of the attackers was stabbed in the heart and killed on the spot, and another had his arm cut open by Nazanin’s knife. The third rapist fled the scene. Minutes later, the two girls went to a nearby police station, expecting support. Instead, the police threw them in jail. Two weeks later, the judiciary in Tehran sentenced Nazanin to death on murder charges!

Shortly after the sentence was handed down, Iranian-Canadian human rights activist and beauty queen Nazanin Afshin-Jam, launched a campaign to save Nazanin Fatehi’s life and reached out to me to discuss a media project to support the case. That sparked the idea of the film.

Returning to your question, we faced two major challenges with the film. The first was the tight timeline. We had only six weeks to complete the project between Nazanin Fatehi’s initial death sentence and her retrial. If the retrial upheld the verdict, she would face execution in Evin prison within days. The pressure was immense.

With little time to spare, we swiftly dispatched teams: one to Iran to covertly cover the story, another to Berlin to interview the head of Iran’s desk at Amnesty International, and a third to Ottawa to capture the Canadian government’s response. It was a chaotic period; we were editing while filming, and I slept in the editing room! We were in a life-and-death race against time. Against all odds, the universe aligned, and we successfully completed the film in the six weeks we had right before Ms. Fatehi’s retrial.

The second challenge was balancing storytelling with advocacy. Despite my strong feelings towards the Islamic Republic and its misogynistic policies, I didn’t want to make propaganda! I wanted to remain as politically neutral as possible and communicate a simple, yet powerful story with a wide audience, including those who did not care much about politics.

After the film was made, and partially aired on major networks like BBC and CNN, the campaign to free Nazanin Fatehi garnered an incredible 350,000 signatures on a petition submitted to the UN. This surge of international support significantly heightened pressure on Iran’s judiciary. Two weeks later, the Iranian authorities dropped the charges against the young girl and released her. It was a powerful testament to the impact of storytelling and collective action.

 

ZH: 3. Having lived through the Iranian revolution and the subsequent political turmoil, how have these experiences shaped your perspective on storytelling and the types of stories you choose to tell?

The revolution taught me that truth is often the first casualty of political upheaval. This realization fuelled my commitment to telling stories that are generally ignored by the mass media. Thirty years on, I still believe in both the necessity and importance of that commitment.

I see it as my job to not only raise public awareness about the issues that matter to me but to inspire action. And I do this through a very simple method: telling inspiring stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

If we wish to bring about change, we should inject a sense of empowerment into society. Most people in many places live in a state of mental powerlessness (and this includes what we collectively call the “West”). In a country like Iran, this sense of powerlessness is mainly enforced by the physical coercion of authorities through methods like imprisonment, torture, and execution. In a country like the US, it is enforced by psychological warfare on the citizenry through 24-hour dark and mostly misleading cable news, relentless advertising campaigns, and a state apparatus whose main job is manufacturing consent.

This creates a perfect storm where the first casualty is our sense of agency. Most people feel overwhelmed in a bubble filled with troubling stories of abuse and exploitation. What happens next is that many of us become “comfortably numb,” to borrow from Pink Floyd’s famous song. Unable to respond to things that seem out of our control, we become apathetic. And once we become apathetic, those in power can exploit us at will.

I see it as my job as a cineast to break this vicious cycle of powerlessness, apathy, and quiet desperation, and I do this by telling stories that empower us—stories that restore our hope in humanity and in our ability to bring about change.

One such story I am working on now is about an incredible Indian woman named Phoolan Devi, known to many as the “Bandit Queen of India” who became a social justice warrior and a female Robin Hood. Born in the 60s in a village so small it doesn’t appear on any maps, she faced repeated acts of abuse from early childhood because she had a “big mouth”—in other words, a strong sense of justice!

After surviving a brutal gang rape at the age of 17, she became the leader of a gang of bandits, delivering her own brand of justice to men who raped young girls and women. Stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, she became the subject of the largest manhunt in Indian history, with a bounty on her head to match. She evaded capture for four years and, in 1983, surrendered on her own terms.

Her story became even more interesting when, in jail, she started practicing yoga and meditation, renouncing violence and emerging as a nonviolent activist. Her biggest transformation, however, happened when she came out of jail, ran for federal parliament, and was elected in a landslide—twice! Her story is truly legendary; few stories are as inspiring!

 

ZH: 4. In your recent workshop in Los Angeles, you emphasized the importance of narratives in shaping reality. Can you elaborate on how you see the role of filmmakers in constructing or deconstructing societal narratives?

ZH: 5. Your films have been broadcast on major international networks and won numerous awards. How do you measure the success of your work? Is it in the awards, the audience’s response, or something else?

I feel like a success when I can inspire transformative change—whether that means saving a life or helping ignite a powerful new narrative. While awards are gratifying, my greatest fulfillment comes from hearing how my films spark conversations, shift perspectives, and move people to action.

Whether it’s someone reaching out to say a film of mine inspired them to engage in social justice or witnessing a work influence policy and illuminate important causes, these moments mean the most to me. Ultimately, true success lies not in shiny trophies, but in the lasting change my work inspires in hearts and minds. That’s where the real excitement is!

ZH: 6. Documentary filmmaking can be an emotionally taxing process, especially when dealing with heavy subjects. How do you maintain your emotional well-being while working on such intense projects?

That’s a great question! Fortunately or unfortunately, the stories I tell often involve deep human suffering, injustice, and trauma, making it impossible not to be affected by the weight of these experiences. For me, the need to detox is very real.

I do all sorts of things to detox: yoga, swimming, traveling, hugging friends, humming, and even screaming in empty spaces! Despite all of that, I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the darkness I encounter. Just a month ago, I finished a film on an Indigenous nation in British Columbia, where I interviewed many survivors of colonialism on their territories. Some of their stories were Nazi-level horrifying—like throwing newborn babies into incinerators and the abuse of girls as young as five. At one point during filming, I felt like my heart could not take anymore; I had reached my limit. It took me two months of intense and purposeful detoxification to return to a functional “normal.” It was tough, but looking back, I believe it was all worth it. Being privileged enough to give a voice to the voiceless is one of the most rewarding experiences in the world.

ZH: 7. You’ve lectured around the world and mentored many aspiring filmmakers. What is the most important piece of advice you give to those looking to make their mark in documentary filmmaking?

The most helpful advice I can give aspiring filmmakers is not to listen to anyone! Follow your passion and your creative instincts. The truth is, industry insiders often have just as little idea about what works as the rest of us. Of every 10 films that Hollywood produces, 7 lose money. Seven! This is despite the fact that over the past 110 years, the ‘system’ has spent more than $160 million studying public psychology to figure out what audiences want.

Don’t get me wrong: Hollywood ultimately wins because, among those 10 films, one can make enough money to cover all the losses and provide the financial boost needed to keep going. But this doesn’t change the fact that they’re still in a business that loses 70% of the time!

None of those so-called expert executives really know much! Aspiring filmmakers shouldn’t let anyone tell them their stories aren’t good enough. Everything depends on how you tell your story; in filmmaking, the “how” is far more important than the “what.”

Find a story you’re passionate about and develop it with the guidance of an experienced mentor. That’s the “formula” I believe in. The key to making a successful film is avoiding pitfalls, and seasoned filmmakers can help their aspiring colleagues navigate these challenges. Making a film is like walking through a dark jungle. An experienced hand can warn you about potential dangers: “Don’t go there; there’s a swamp! Be careful of that path; there are tigers waiting. Don’t cross that river; anacondas are lurking beneath the surface!”

Once you avoid the pitfalls, reaching your destination won’t be difficult. Of course, you need a great deal of passion and commitment to make things happen, but that’s a given!

ZH: 8. The world of media and filmmaking is rapidly changing, especially with the rise of social media and streaming platforms. How do you see the future of documentary filmmaking evolving in this landscape?

I see a bright future ahead! Sometimes, the best way to snap out of a nightmare is through a rude awakening. With the rise of virtual reality and artificial intelligence, the very fabric of what we consider “real” is under threat. I don’t believe platforms like Facebook and Instagram can withstand the onslaught of AI for long. Deepfakes are on the rise, and the speed of their advancement is beyond our grasp. It’s becoming increasingly difficult for the general public to realize what is real in the virtual world. As AI and its capabilities reach dizzying heights—something that isn’t far off—there will be a growing desire for a lost sense of “reality.”

We are creatures of nature, and the natural world has shaped our systems over millions of years. The need for human contact and interaction is not a choice; it’s a necessity embedded in our biological and psychological makeup since time immemorial. The tendency to break away from that natural tradition, as we see in much of the so-called virtual world, is not only a diversion from our true selves but also a hindrance to our development as a species. We may reach a point where we can comfortably think in virtual terms, but at the end of the day, we must live in our own concrete realities. To abandon that is to abandon humanity as we know it.

In that context, documentary cinema, I think, has a vital role to play, offering insights, truths, and connections that can ground us (back) in our shared reality.

ZH: 9. Your films often highlight the resilience and heroism of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. How do you find and choose the subjects for your documentaries?

I go through newspaper articles, read obituaries, listen to podcasts, and talk to friends! There are so many great stories out there waiting to be discovered by cinema!

Just recently I came across an incredible story about an Iranian diplomat in the 1930s in France who saved the lives of thousands of Jews during the dark days of WWII. To put this in perspective, Oscar Schindler, whose life inspired Steven Spielberg’s famous film, “Schindler’s List,” saved 1,000 Jews. Mr. Sardari saved 2,000! And he was Iranian!

In any other country and culture, this guy would be celebrated with numerous books, films, and artworks dedicated to his remarkable actions. Yet, most Iranians have not even heard of his name! The Iranian regime, of course, does everything it can to suppress the story, as it contradicts its anti-Israeli stance. But this man and his legacy are (and should be) part of our heritage as Persians.

This is a world-class story of consequence that can seriously challenge the mainstream narratives about the relationship between Persians and Jews. It must be taken out of the dusty archives of history and told, and I hope one day I can do that. There are many forgotten or ignored stories like this around us. All we need to do is pay attention.

P.S. Let me clarify that I don’t in any way endorse the apartheid policies of the Israeli government towards the Palestinians. In my opinion, a primary reason—if not the main reason—for the existence of ultra-reactionary forces like Hamas is the politics of the state of Israel towards the Palestinians.

 

ZH: 10. The recent workshop you held in Los Angeles was a great success. What were some of the key takeaways for you from this experience, and how do you plan to continue this educational work in the future?

Yes, the LA event was a success, thanks to the enthusiasm and dedication of its organizers. What I saw during my interactions with aspiring filmmakers, journalists, and storytellers was the dire need for a new narrative regarding storytelling. Many of my audience members were graduates of various film schools, and I could clearly see how they were struggling with their schooling! Don’t get me wrong! I went to two film schools myself. But what I learned was often what NOT to do. There’s an overwhelming and misplaced focus on technicalities in our film education that misses a crucial truth: Story is the heart of a film.

I have seen this repeatedly: film school graduates borrow money from friends and family to make their first calling card short or feature film. But instead of focusing on what matters, that is, working their story to perfection, casting well (in documentary cinema, ‘casting’ refers to interviewees or characters who appear in the film), gaining access to people and places crucial to the plot, and telling the story most authentically and genuinely possible—they spend their money on expensive gear and technicians. It’s baffling and heartbreaking! Poor souls! It seems nobody told them during their years of study that people go to see a film because they want to be captivated by a story! They end up crafting technically impressive films that lack substance, and when they fail to capture attention, they spiral into confusion and despair, wondering where it all went wrong. It’s a crucial lesson that must be learned: storytelling is king!

Of course, I’m not generalizing; there are definitely film schools that grasp the fundamental principles of filmmaking, but they’re few and far between! Perhaps that’s why 90% of film school graduates never make a living making films! It’s a failed business model. Each time I engage with aspiring filmmakers in courses, lectures, or workshops, it becomes increasingly clear: there is an urgent need for a fresh perspective on impactful filmmaking.

I’m doing my best to help build that vision in constrained and limited ways.

 

 

 

In collaboration with ZH media

Interview by Ali Shahrokhi
Photo by Sid Parida
Thanks to Mahdieh Maleki