Kayhan Mortezavi
An Iranian visual architect whose sets and production designs have defined the look of a generation of Persian cinema and television.
Born 1956 (age 70)·Iranian film art director and production designer·Birthday: June 9·Baby Boomers
Biography
Kayhan Mortezavi, born in 1956, is a master of atmosphere and place in Iranian visual storytelling. While his name may not be a household word internationally, his work has fundamentally shaped the aesthetic texture of Iranian film and TV for decades. Operating as both an art director and production designer, Mortezavi builds worlds that are immediately tangible and emotionally resonant, whether recreating the intricate details of a historical period or constructing the stark reality of a contemporary drama. His influence extends beyond the screen; from 1982 to 1994, he imparted his knowledge as a professor at several Tehran universities, including the prestigious University of Tehran, mentoring the next wave of Iranian cinematic artists. His career is marked by a quiet consistency and respect within the industry, earning him multiple nominations at Iran's premier Fajr International Film Festival and a win for best television art direction in 1992. Mortezavi represents the essential, often unsung, creative force who translates a director's vision into a physical, believable space.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Kayhan was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kayhan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Kayhan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the award for Best TV Art Direction at Iran's Sima Festival (IRIB) in 1992.
- Received two nominations for Best Production Designer at the Fajr International Film Festival.
- Served as a university professor of art direction and related fields for over a decade at major Tehran institutions.
- Contributed production design or art direction to numerous influential Iranian films and television series across various genres.
Did You Know?
He has also worked as a film director, though he is primarily known for his design work.
His teaching career spanned at least four different universities in Tehran concurrently.
The period of his university teaching (1982-1994) covers a formative era in post-revolutionary Iranian cinema.
“The set is the first actor; it must tell the story before a word is spoken.”
