The Bird Is Mortal

Forough Farrokhzad (1934–67), is known in Iran as one of the most influential female poets of the twentieth century. Challenging the traditional limits of Iranian literature and social norms, her work is celebrated for its unique blend of social commentary and personal reflection. Farrokhzad’s contributions to the world of cinema, particularly the documentary The House Is Black, highlight her legacy as a pioneering voice for change in Iran.

Born in Isfahan and raised in Los Angeles, Arash Saedinia is a writer, filmmaker, photographer, curator, archivist, and educator. At MacDowell in 2023, he translated Forough Farrokhzad’s Let Us Believe in the Dawn of the Cold Season from Persian into English. At present he is at work on a book of his own poems.