DOCUMENTARY FILM & TV PRODUCTIONS
Elli Safari is a visual storyteller with a deep compassion for humanity. Her lens captures the extraordinary endeavors of men and women who in their own way are trying to make our world a better place. Through artistic films and fine art photography, Elli focuses on beauty in unlikely places, reflections of the light, and the space in between things, inviting for contemplation.
Elli is available for global collaborations and enjoys sharing her extensive experience as one of the forming members of the Iranian cinema.
Elli Safari is the first female documentary filmmaker of Iran
From the 1970s through 1990, spanning the years before and after the Iranian Revolution, Elli co-founded and ran a private film institute in Tehran called Markaz-e Motaleat-e Sinamayi (Center of Cinematic Studies).
She educated dozens of filmmakers, including Mohsen Makhmalbaf.
The institute faced repeated closure attempts by the Islamic regime, yet she continued her work until it was forcibly shut down in 1990.
Following multiple arrests and imprisonments, she received a direct death threat: if she continued her work in Iran, she would 'receive a bullet in her head'.
Selection of works
TINEKE POSTMA
IN HER OWN WAY
Producer, director & editor: Elli Safari
A music film following the renowned Dutch female jazz musician Tineke Postma throughout a decade
2026
A FORGOTTEN CRIME
Co-producer, co-director, editor: Elli safari
The humanitarian, political and military drama caused by the massive use of chemical weapons
against Iran by Saddam Hussein.
2013
2006
THE NOBLE STRUGGLE
Producer, director: Elli safari
A fascinating and powerful portrait of the African-American Muslim woman who became the first female Imam. By defying 1400 years of Islamic tradition, her action caused global awareness of the struggle for women’s rights within Islam but also brought violence and death threats against her.
Deeply engaging this film offers rare insight into the powerful connections between Isalm, women's rights and racial justice.
2002
MEDIUM OF LOVE
Director, editor: Elli safari
The story of Ali Afsahi, an Iranian cleric who develops a deep passion for cinema. The film follows his inner struggle between religious conviction and his love for film, revealing how art can become a form of liberation and self-exploration. At the same time, it reflects on the tensions between tradition and modernity in Iranian society.
The Free Cinema
سینمای آزاد
Elli Safari joined the movement of سینمای آزاد (Cinema-ye Azad) in Iran in the early 1970s. The Free Cinema was a pioneering network of independent filmmakers working outside the commercial film industry. Rooted in experimentation, collective learning, and social engagement, Cinema-ye Azad provided an alternative space for a new generation of filmmakers to explore personal and critical forms of expression. This formative context shaped the foundations of her work, grounding her practice in independence, inquiry, and a sustained commitment to socially engaged cinema.
