Tanaz Eshaghian
An Iranian-American filmmaker who turns her camera on the intimate, often hidden stories of identity and belonging in a globalized world.
Born 1974 (age 52)·Iranian-American documentary filmmaker·Birthday: September 8·Generation X
Biography
Born in Tehran in 1974, Tanaz Eshaghian left Iran with her family after the revolution, a dislocation that would become a central theme in her work. Settling in New York City, she forged a path in documentary filmmaking defined by a personal, vérité style. Eshaghian doesn't just observe her subjects; she often immerses herself in their worlds, whether exploring the lives of transgender Iranians or examining her own family's complex history. Her films are known for their emotional resonance and their ability to navigate cultural taboos with a quiet, persistent curiosity. By focusing on individual stories of transformation and survival, she creates a nuanced portrait of the Iranian diaspora and the universal search for self.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Tanaz was born in 1974, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tanaz Was Born
The biggest hits of 1974
#1 Movie
The Towering Inferno
Best Picture
The Godfather Part II
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Tanaz's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1974Born
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
1979Started school
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1987Became a teenager
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1990Could drive
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1992Could vote
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Turned 21
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2004Turned 30
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 40
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 50
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 52 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Her documentary 'Be Like Others' won the Teddy Award for Best Documentary at the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival.
- Directed and produced 'Love Iranian-American Style,' a film exploring modern relationships within the Iranian diaspora.
- Her work has been screened at major festivals including Sundance and the Toronto International Film Festival.
Did You Know?
She is a graduate of the New York University Tisch School of the Arts.
Her film 'I Call Myself Persian' was funded in part by a grant from the Independent Television Service (ITVS).
“I film to understand the spaces between memory, home, and what we carry.”
