A Loss to Iranian Cinema: Nasser Taghvai, The Auteur of Iran’s New Wave, Passes Away at 84

Nasser Taghvai, the acclaimed director, screenwriter, photographer, and one of the most significant auteurs and pioneers of the Iranian New Wave cinema, has passed away at the age of 84. The great Iranian artist died on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, following complications from illness and old age at a hospital in Tehran

Taghvai, born in 1941 in Abadan, leaves behind a priceless legacy that extends beyond cinema, having entered the popular culture and literature of Iran. His influence on subsequent generations of artists remains undeniable

 The Literary Connection and the Rise of the New Wave

Taghvai began his artistic career in the mid-1960s with documentary filmmaking. What distinguished him from many of his contemporaries was his profound command of literature and his ability to translate great stories into the visual language of cinema

• First Feature: His first feature film, “Tranquility in the Presence of Others” (1970), an adaptation of a story by Gholam-Hossein Sa’edi, won the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival despite being banned for several years. This achievement cemented his place alongside other founders of the Iranian New Wave (such as Kimiayi and Mehrjui)
• Auteur Style: Taghvai’s works are renowned for their psychological depth of characters, meticulous attention to detail, eloquent silences, and his critical gaze upon society. He was consistently described as an auteur filmmaker—one who maintained his unique artistic signature in every frame

 Three Timeless Masterpieces: From the South to Tehran

Although Nasser Taghvai produced a relatively small number of films during his career, each one became a cinematic milestone in Iran

A. Captain Khorshid (Nakhoda Khorshid) (1986)

A loose adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s To Have and Have Not, this film became one of the most prominent works in Iranian cinema history due to its raw, realistic setting, and unique visual depiction of the Southern seas. Taghvai earned the Bronze Leopard Award at the Locarno Film Festival for this film

B. My Uncle Napoleon (Daei Jan Napoleon) (1976)

Taghvai immortalized his name in the hearts of the Iranian public with the TV series “My Uncle Napoleon,” based on Iraj Pezeshkzad’s novel. The series, a satirical comedy rich with unforgettable characters, remains one of the most successful and popular productions in Iranian television history, with its phrases and jokes still commonly used today

C. Unruled Paper (Kaghaz-e Bikhat) (2001)

Taghvai’s last completed feature film, “Unruled Paper,” was a thoughtful black comedy starring Khosrow Shakibai and Roya Teymourian, depicting the life of a writing housewife. This film once again showcased Taghvai’s genius in detailed character development and proved that he remained a progressive artist

 The Regret of Unfinished Projects

The greatest sorrow for cinema lovers regarding Taghvai was his long silence in the last two decades of his life and the halt of his key projects

Following Unruled Paper, Taghvai had two significant projects, “Bitter Tea” and “Zangi and Roomi,” both of which stalled in early production due to budgetary issues and his own uncompromising artistic standards. These uncompleted works symbolize the struggle and difficulty faced by an artist who refused to sacrifice quality for quantity

Conclusion

The passing of Nasser Taghvai is a profound loss for Iranian cinema. He was not merely a director but a teacher for generations, who showed us how to create cinema that is deep, detailed, and timeless, drawn from the wellspring of literature. His memory and works, which forever championed the authenticity of this land’s art, will endure

The iimdb.ir website extends its deepest condolences to the esteemed family of Master Nasser Taghvai, the artistic community, and cinema lovers across Iran. May his soul rest in peace