Documentaries and Short Films
In addition to his feature films, Taghvaei was a prolific documentarian. His works such as Mashhad Ghali, Arba’in, and Bad Jinn explored social rituals, folklore, and religious traditions. His short film Raha’i (1977) achieved remarkable international success, winning awards at Venice, San Francisco, and Giffoni film festivals.
His later documentary, Last Exercise (2004), examined the ritual of Ta’ziyeh, the Shi’a passion play, capturing the communal and performative aspects of mourning in Iranian culture. Through these non-fiction works, Taghvaei documented the cultural transformations of Iran’s provinces, preserving the oral traditions and visual textures of a country in flux.
Personal Life and Relationships
Taghvaei’s personal life was as complex as his films. He married Shahrnush Parsipur, the acclaimed novelist and feminist icon, in 1967. The marriage produced one child but ended in divorce in 1973, reportedly due to their divergent artistic temperaments. He later married Shahindokht Behzadi, and eventually, Marzieh Vafamehr, an actress and activist who remained with him for the rest of his life.
