About
Mozhgan Pazooki is an Iranian documentary filmmaker whose career began 1992 in the Science Department of Iranian National Radio and Television and later expanded into television. She directed and produced several programs for IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting), including thirty episodes of Contemporary Iranian Luminaries (Mafakher Iran Emrooz). This led to an invitation from Kish Radio, where she moved between Tehran and Kish Island from 1995 to 1997, before settling in Kish to produce the Centre’s first televised programs. These early productions played an important role in securing television funding for the island and helped turn local radio into a full IRIB branch.
In Iran, her work received public recognition. She was voted Best Director for television documentaries and received the People’s Choice Award in 1997 and 1999.
Over the next 23 years, Mozhgan continued working as an independent documentary maker, collaborating with the Kish Free Zone Organization on a wide variety of projects—ranging from promotional films to documentaries on local culture, the environment, regional geography, and island development. During this time, she also managed the Art Creation Centreunder the Kish Art Creation Foundation and held several cultural roles within the Free Zone’s media division, including Director of Audiovisual Affairs.
Her documentary Farourgan Island (Green Film), which focused on environmental clean-up efforts, was screened at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in 2015. Another film, Kalling, told the story of traditional pearl divers in the Persian Gulf. She directed the underwater scenes herself—wearing full hijab—and is believed to be the first (and possibly the only) Iranian woman to have directed a film underwater. Kalling was screened at several festivals and received awards at the Iranian Women Documentary Filmmakers Festival, the Parvin E’tesami International Film Festival, and the Kish Documentary Film Festival.
One of her proudest contributions was creating short films for the Kish Artists Honoring Ceremony and the Kish Scholars Garden, commissioned for live screenings during official tributes to prominent Iranian artists and scientists. She also produced the final documentaries from both events for broadcast on national television.
After moving to Australia in 2019, she was invited by Radio Neshat Melbourne to film an interview with veteran Iranian actor Manouchehr Farid. The result became one of the most-watched videos on Neshat Persian Radio’s platform. Kish Radio Neshat also recorded a one-hour interview with Mozhgan to introduce her to the Iranian community in Australia.
In Australia, Mozhgan began a new kind of work—creating personal testimonial films as meaningful gifts for elderly individuals. These short documentaries are technically simple but emotionally rich, capturing stories of memory, identity, and legacy. Over the years, she has created testimonial films for both private high-profile clients and well-known Australians such as Tim Dalmau, Christine Dyer, Professor Bernie Neville, Professor Andrea Hull AO, Lex Fagg, and Marion Webster.
During Melbourne’s COVID-19 lockdown, she directed Connecting Conversations, a documentary commissioned by AMES Victoria. Filmed entirely via Zoom, the film follows a group of migrants and volunteers who continued their English classes online during the pandemic. It highlights the positive impact of connection and language on mental well-being and premiered at the Melbourne Multicultural Hub in 2021.
She also produced NDIS promotional and informational videos commissioned by the City of Melbourne for its official website.
In her 50s, Mozhgan joined the Melbourne Flames Dragon Boat Club. She went on to win medals at the Victorian, Australian, and Oceania Championships. Later, she made a short documentary about the team, which was gifted to the club and is now available on her YouTube channel.
Mozhgan was invited as a speaker at the Women in Film and Television event at ACMI, where she spoke about the differences between making documentaries in Iran and in Australia.
At the request of the Iranian Association of Victoria, she directed A Tribute to Refugees: Short Film for Refugee Week, Melbourne 2024.
She is currently working on two research-based documentary projects:
– One explores the journey of Persian and Dari-speaking women as they adapt to life in Australia, looking at social, legal, cultural, and emotional challenges.
– The other examines the emotional impact that testimonial and autobiographical films can have on those who receive them.
These two lines of research will come together in a feature-length documentary titled The cage-raised bird. The research has also been developed into a PhD proposal.
With a background in microbiology and a bachelor’s degree in judicial law, along with years of experience and expertise in documentary filmmaking, Mozhgan brings a unique, multidisciplinary perspective to her work. Her knowledge of Islamic law and social justice adds depth to her storytelling, especially around themes like gender, dignity, and fairness. Her films reflect a deep respect for humanity and a belief in the power of listening.