Arefeh Ekhlasi Film & Photography Portfolio

ARTIST STATEMENT

ABOUT ME

INT. CINEMA – NIGHT – 2006

A small child, three years old, sits on her aunt’s lap. The seats are tall. The man in front turns around to scold someone — but sees her instead. A tiny face. He smiles. On the screen: chaos, cartoon fights, color and noise. The child laughs. She talks about it for days.

That was my first time in a cinema — and it stayed with me. Animation had already filled my childhood with light. But that screen made stories feel real.

Years later, I studied mathematics because I was supposed to. Then English Literature and Translation at Azad University. I didn’t finish — not because I failed, but because I knew it wasn’t my story.I left to follow the only thing that still held me: visual storytelling.

I took a photography course at Isfahan University, and for the past two years, I’ve walked cities with a camera — capturing people who don’t realize they’re being seen. I like those moments. The quiet ones. The ones with no soundtrack.

I’ve attended writing and filmmaking workshops with people like Mahmoud Dowlatabadi, Houshang Moradi Kermani, Soroush Sehat, and studied drama writing with Jalal Tehrani, one of Iran’s most respected theatre directors. His sense of silence and structure taught me how much power lives in stillness.

I haven’t made a film yet. But I’ve written outlines. I collect stories about people who wait, disappear, or simply pause. What I want now is space to grow, to study film seriously, to create honestly — and eventually, to help others do the same.

Not all stories have explosions. Some are just a flicker on a face, in a dark room, while a child leans forward and sees something for the first time.

Photography Portfolio

People Who Wait

Women caught in stillness — seated on benches, chairs, in quiet corners of the city. They’re not in motion, not in conversation. Just waiting. I’m drawn to these moments of pause, where the world seems to hold its breath, and something unspoken lingers in the air.

Shadows in Motion

What we call motion is really the memory of where something was. These photos are glimpses of people just before they vanish into the rhythm of the street

Without Knowing

I photograph strangers the way I’d want to be photographed — quietly, from a distance, without taking anything from them but a moment
Out of everything, his eyes were fixed on the only telescope — the one thing that looked beyond the room, beyond the present.
Some of these images were captured using a compact Canon PowerShot — a camera I carry almost daily for its speed, weight, and invisibility

Skills & Experience

Workshops & Training

photography & Editing Course, Isfahan University (2023–2024)

Drama Writing with Jalal Tehrani

Filmmaking & Storytelling Workshops with Mahmoud Dowlatabadi, Houshang Moradi Kermani, Steve Toltz, and Soroush Sehat.Software

Software

Adobe Lightroom (photo editing and color grading)

Adobe Photoshop (retouching and layout)

Adobe Premiere(basic video editing and grading)

Thank you

for taking the time to explore my work. This portfolio is a reflection of how I see the world — through light, quiet moments, and the stories we often overlook. Whether I’m working with a camera, a script, or simply observing, I try to create with honesty and intention. I’m still learning, still growing, and always searching for new ways to connect through visual storytelling. If something in these images or words resonated with you, I’d love to hear from you.

Contact

Email: arefehekhlasi@email.com
Phone: +98 913 462 6845

Location: Tehran, Iran

CREATED BY
Arefeh Ekhlasi