Parvaneh Massoumi

Parvaneh Massoumi was born on 11 March 1944 in Tehran. She graduated from the Faculty of Foreign Languages at the National University of Iran and later traveled to Germany for further studies. While in Germany, she met Mosoud Massoumi, a photography student, whom she married. The couple returned to Iran after her studies, and Massoumi began her artistic career in the early 1970s. Her most prolific period in cinema was during the 1980s. == Artistic career ==

Massoumi debuted in cinema with a minor role alongside Googoosh in Bita, directed by Hajir Dariush. She later noted that she did not see the film until 1995. In an interview with ISNA, Parvaneh Massoumi described her entry into Bahram Beyzai's works as follows: In 1972, she gained recognition as the female lead in Raining, Beyzai's first feature film. Her performance alongside Parviz Fannizadeh formed one of the most distinctive cinematic pairs of Iran's New Wave movement in the early 1970s. She won Crystal Simorgh awards for Best Actress at the Fajr Film Festival for her roles in Chrysanthemums (1984), Dowry for Rabab (1987), and The Splendor of Life (1987). In the 1990s, Massoumi was less active in cinema but more prominent on television. Her notable performances during this decade included Naser al-Din Shah, Actor of Cinema, directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf, and Traveler to Rey, directed by Davoud Mirbagheri. This trend continued into the 2000s. From the early 2000s, while living in Gilan, Massoumi's presence in cinema and television diminished, and she began expressing controversial opinions and viewpoints. == Controversies ==

In her final two decades, Massoumi's political views, proximity to the government, and religious leanings overshadowed her acting career to some extent. She was among the first female actors to adopt and defend mandatory hijab in Iran after the 1979 Revolution. Her death prompted varied reactions on social media, which differed significantly from the typical responses of cinema enthusiasts mourning the loss of a veteran actor.In 2010, following the 2009 election protests, Massoumi participated in a meeting of artists with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at the Leader's House. During the meeting, she defended the government's stance, stating that there was no compulsion in her choice to wear the chador and that it was her personal decision. Another controversial statement came in response to Leila Hatami’s critical remarks about the government's treatment of protesters in January 2018. In an interview with Khabaronline, Massoumi claimed that people wanted to attack Hatami in the street over her comments, though she later denied making such a statement. In response to the Woman, Life, Freedom protests, Massoumi wrote on Twitter: “The Islamic Revolution freed us from the chains of oppression and the captivity of desires, and we will fight to preserve it until our last breath. I place my trust in the Ever-Living who never dies.” == Death ==

In the last 30 years of her life, Massoumi resided in Tahergourab, a village in Someh Sara, Gilan. She was hospitalized for several days and transferred to the intensive care unit, dying on 27 November 2023 in Someh Sara. Initial media reports cited intestinal rupture and lung infection as the cause of death, but her son clarified that she suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and died due to a blood infection. Per her wishes, she was laid to rest in her family's burial plot at Imamzadeh Abutaleb in Tehran. Her funeral took place on 29 November 2023 at Imamzadeh Abutaleb in the Farahzad district, without a memorial ceremony at the House of Cinema and with no notable presence of artists. == Filmography ==

Cinema Television Short films == Awards and honors ==

• Winner of the Crystal Simorgh for Best Actress for her performance in Chrysanthemums at the 3rd Fajr Film Festival • Winner of the Crystal Simorgh for Best Actress for her performance in Dowry for Rabab at the 6th Fajr Film Festival ==References==