Yassamin Maleknasr is the first Iranian woman filmmaker who graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Film and Television. She is an award-winning actress and director who found purpose behind the camera as documentary filmmaker. A bi-cultural artist, she has made many documentaries on a wide variety of subjects. In 2002 she traveled more than 3,000 miles throughout war torn Afghanistan by land to make her acclaimed film, “Afghanistan the Lost Truth”. Her recent lyrical documentary, “Women of the Silk Road” portrays the lives of four women from four countries of the Silk Road. Their stories represent a humanistic view of Muslim women – one of love, courage and art – and the values they share with women of the West. Her new project, “Symphony in the Dark” in post-production depicts the human need for music. Through her work, she strives to bridge the cultural gap between East and West.
