Nastaran Makaremi
Writer and author
Nastaran Makaremi is an Iranian writer, literary critic, and journalist based in Berlin. Her work spans fiction, cultural commentary, and documentary storytelling, often shaped by social and historical realities in Iran.She has authored several novels and short story collections, including Total, Soiree After the Funeral, Distress Stages, Pink Dust, and No One Is Good. Her novel Total explores the relationship between oil, authoritarianism, and the emergence of the working class in Iran. Across her fiction, Makaremi focuses on themes such as memory, constraint, and everyday resistance, often through the lens of marginalized voices.Makaremi’s short stories have been recognized by various Iranian literary prizes, including the Gamalzadeh Award and South Story Prize . Her writing has also been featured in platforms such as BBC Persian, Weiter Schreiben Mondial, and IHRAF.In addition to her literary work, she has made two documentary films: "Snow and Fire" and "Stone and Sign", both of which explore different aspects of Iranian life and traditions.Before relocating to Berlin, Makaremi taught fine arts—including Persian painting—at colleges in Tehran and Isfahan. She was also active in literary journalism, contributing essays and book reviews to Iranian newspapers such as Etemaad, Farhikhtegan, and Isfahan Emrooz.She is a recipient of the DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Fellowship, and continues to write and speak on literature, culture, and freedom of expression.
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Publications
Novels:Ordibehesht Deadlock – Qoqnoos Publication (2015)
Soiree After the Funeral – Butimar Publication (2017)
Total – Saless Publication (2020)
Distress Stages – Saline Publication (2024)Short Story Collections:No One Is Good – Nasira Publication (2014)
Pink Dust – Aftabkaran Publication (2018)Documentary & Non-Fiction Works:Plaque 1644 – Documentary story commissioned by the Municipality of Tehran (2016)
Bergamot of Sun (Teen novel, commissioned by the National Carpet Center of Iran) – 2017
Snow and Fire – Documentary film on oil transportation in Iran (2020)
Stone and Sign — Documentary film on Iranian traditions (2020)Poetry Collection:Hell Candy
Practice-Related Activities
Campaign Organizer – Advocacy for the release of imprisoned writers in Iran (2018 & 2021)Public Speaker & Media Engagements – Featured in major Persian-language media, including BBC Persian
Judge for the 3rd Gamalzadeh Literary Award
https://www.bbc.com/persian/arts-56458187
Fellowships, Awards & Recognitions
DAAD Artist Fellowship, BerlinWinner, Tehran Journalist Seasonal Award – Best Book Review (2013)Winner, South Story Literary Award – Short story Occupied House (2016)Finalist, Bushehr Literary Prize – Novel Soiree After the Funeral (2019)Winner, Gamalzadeh Literary Award – Two short stories: Zele Zalil and Tahereh’s Trauma (2020)Finalist, Mehregan & MA Literary Prizes – Novel Total (2022)Selected for International Human Rights Artists Festival (IHRAF) – Short story Sabroo (2021)Translation of Occupied House – Published in German on Weiter Schreiben Mondialhttps://www.berliner-kuenstlerprogramm.de/en/artist/nastaran-makaremi/https://humanrightsartmovement.org/ihraf-publishes/sabroo-nastaran-makaremihttps://weiterschreiben.jetzt/texte/das-besetzte-haus/