Lifecycle of Film – Documentary Filmmaking Panel - ACMI Melbourne 2025
On March 23, 2025, Mozhgan Pazooki was invited as an expert speaker at the Lifecycle of Film event, held at Swinburne Studio, ACMI, Federation Square, Melbourne.
This special session, "Documentary Filmmaking: Producing and Directing," was co-led by renowned Australian filmmaker Hollie Fifer and Mozhgan Pazooki, with moderation by Jeanie Davison.
Organised by Women in Film and Television Victoria (WIFT Vic) in collaboration with the Melbourne Women in Film Festival (MWFF), the event brought together emerging and established voices in the screen industry for an intimate roundtable format—fostering discussion, mentorship, and professional exchange on key aspects of the documentary filmmaking process.
As part of this international collaboration, Mozhgan shared insights from over two decades of experience producing and directing films that explore identity, legacy, and human connection through powerful storytelling.
This event formed part of a broader initiative to support women in screen across all stages of production, and welcomed a global community of creatives and change-makers.
Film Premiere at Melbourne's Multicultural Hub:
Connecting Conversations, English classes during Covid-19.
Farourgan Island (Green Film)
Screened at the United Nations Climate Change Conference – COP21, Paris, 2015
In 2015, I directed a short environmental documentary highlighting a volunteer-led cleanup operation on Farourgan Island, located in the Persian Gulf. Sponsored by the Kish Free Zone Organization and Iran’s Department of Environment – Marine Affairs, the film documents the efforts of Kish Island residents who traveled to the uninhabited island to collect plastic waste carried ashore by ocean currents. Their initiative focused on raising awareness about the harmful effects of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems and birdlife.
Shot in a single day using a newly acquired camera, this film marked one of my early experiments with solo documentary filmmaking. Following its completion, the documentary was selected for official screening at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) held in Paris, France, on December 12, 2015. It was presented by the Environmental Protection Organization of Iran as part of their climate action showcase.
International Premiere
Morteza Momayez: A Legacy in Design
Toronto, Canada, 2018
In 2018, Mozhgan Pazooki organized the international premiere of her documentary on Morteza Momayez—widely regarded as the father of Iranian graphic design—in Toronto, Canada. The event was held in collaboration with the Iranian Canadian Visual Arts Association and brought together a community of artists and designers. Following the screening, Pazooki participated in an engaging Q&A session, where she discussed the creative process and responded to insightful questions from fellow visual artists.
The documentary highlights the life and legacy of Morteza Momayez, a pioneering figure in Iranian design, co-founder of the Iranian Graphic Design Society (IGDS), and a member of the prestigious Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI). Momayez served as President of the Tehran International Poster Biennial and was the founding Editor-in-Chief of Neshan, a leading graphic design publication. His impact on visual culture, education, and professional institutions continues to resonate within the global design community.
Film Premiere: Connecting Conversations – English Classes During COVID-19
Melbourne, Australia | March 23, 2021
In April 2020, as the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic peaked, face-to-face English conversation classes at AMES Australia were suspended to curb the spread of the virus. For a group of around 10 recently arrived migrants and their volunteer tutors—who had previously gathered at the City of Melbourne’s Multicultural Hub—this sudden isolation posed a new challenge in an unfamiliar city.
Determined to stay connected, the group transitioned to online sessions, meeting twice a week over the course of nine months of lockdown. Among them was celebrated Iranian documentary filmmaker Mozhgan Pazooki, who participated in the classes and was deeply moved by the solidarity, resilience, and sense of community that emerged.
Filmed entirely online, her documentary Connecting Conversations captures the emotional and practical support shared among the group. It stands as a powerful testament to human connection in times of crisis and celebrates the quiet strength of individuals facing uncertainty together.
