Dr Amin Palangi – Festival Director

Amin Palangi is an award-winning filmmaker and the founding director of the Persian Film Festival in Australia. Since establishing the festival in 2011, he has curated and led its growth into a nationally recognised platform that celebrates Persian cinema and fosters cultural exchange through film. Under his direction, the festival has brought acclaimed filmmakers and emerging voices to Australian audiences, strengthening connections between Australia and the global Persian community.

Alongside his festival work, Amin is an accomplished filmmaker whose debut feature documentary Love Marriage in Kabul won the Audience Award at the Sydney Film Festival and Best Direction from the Australian Directors’ Guild, screening in over twenty-six countries. His recent feature film Tennessine (2023) premiered at the Sydney Film Festival and was nominated for Best Direction at the ADG Awards before its national cinema release.

Amin has also served as a jury member for major festivals including the Sydney Film Festival and Antenna Documentary Film Festival, and as a member of the Screen NSW Film and Television Industry Advisory Committee. He lectures in screen production at UNSW and directing at AFTRS, continuing to nurture the next generation of storytellers.

Through both his filmmaking and festival leadership, Amin is dedicated to creating spaces where diverse stories are shared, celebrated, and given the chance to reach wider audiences.