Bita Farahi, Renowned Iranian Actress, Passes Away

Bita Farahi, a prominent actress in Iranian cinema and television, has passed away. This veteran actress, who had been hospitalized for several weeks due to illness, died on Saturday, December 4, at the age of 65. Bita Farahi was born in 1958 and graduated in arts from the John Powers School of Art in the United States. She entered the acting field by playing the role of 'Mahshid' in Dariush Mehrjui's film 'Hamoun' and later collaborated frequently with Mehrjui, as well as performing in front of the cameras of other renowned directors such as Bahman Farmanara, Masoud Kimiai, and Rokhsareh Ghaem Maghami. Bita Farahi also acted in notable works such as 'Banoo', 'E'teraz', and 'Khane-i Ruye Ab'. According to Mehrjui, he wrote the screenplay for 'Banoo' based on Bita Farahi's character; 'Banoo' was banned for seven years and was not allowed to be screened, and Farahi referred to this ban as a dark chapter in her artistic career and personal life. Bita Farahi was one of the few female actors who managed to win the Crystal Simorgh at the Fajr Film Festival three times for her performances in the films 'Kimia', 'Khane-i Ruye Ab', and 'Khon-Bazi'.