Background:

Iranian born, German actress Narges Rashidi gained recognition for playing Lolita in Daryush Shokof's “A2Z” (2006), for which she also took home New York International Independent Film & Video Festival's International Film Award. She also appeared in Shokof's other films like “Venussian Tabutasco” (2004), “Asudem” (2006) and “Breathful” (2007) as well as in the American movies “Æon Flux” (2005) and “Speed Racer” (2008). Her more recent and upcoming film credits include “Must Love Death” (2009), “My Prince. My King.” (2011), “Dating Lanzelot” (2011), “Slave” (2012) and “Die Geisterfahrer” (TV).     


Iranian Born

Childhood and Family:

Narges Rashidi was born in Iran. She moved with her family to Turkey in 1987 and to Germany in the following year. After graduation, she relocated to Berlin and studied acting. In 2005, she headed to Los Angeles, California to attend the Master Class with MK Lewis.

Rashidi is married to Christian Straka.


Breathful

Career:

Narges Rashidi made her screen acting debut in the German movie “Venussian Tabutasco” (2004), opposite Azin Feizabadi and Dirk Mayer. While honing her craft in Los Angeles, she landed a bit part as pregnant woman in the American film adaptation of the animated science fiction television series, “Æon Flux” (2005). Directed by Karyn Kusuma and starring Charlize Theron as the title character, the film was a commercial failure.

In 2006, Rashidi starred as Jack Taylor's girlfriend in the USA-German drama film “A2Z,” directed by Daryush Shokof. The role brought her the International Film Award  for Best Breakthrough Actress at the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival in 2007.

Still in 2006, Rashidi reunited with Shokof for the American horror film “Asudem,” which won the Genre Award for Best Feature Film - Horror at the 2007 New York International Film and Video Festival (NYIIFVF), and appeared as Leo's girlfriend in the Swiss/German comedy film “Black Sheep” (“Schwarze Schafe”), helmed by Oliver Rihs. In addition, she hit the German television with a guest spot in the long running history series “Die Geschichte Mitteldeutschlands.”

In 2007, Rashidi again worked with filmmaker Daryush Shokof for the gangster/comedy film  “Breathful,” where she starred as Fuss, opposite Taies Farzan as Berta. The film won the International Film Award for Best Director - Feature at the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival. The same year, she also appeared in an episode of the German crime TV series “KDD - Kriminaldauerdienst” called “Fragen der Ehre.”  

In 2008, Rashidi was featured as a Persian announcer in “Speed Racer,” an American film directed and written by The Wachowski Brothers and starring Emile Hirsch in the title role. It was a box office and critical disappointment. The same year, she appeared as Laura in the episode “Schicht im Schacht” of “Schimanski.” She also played Prinzessin Tallulah on the play “ Haltestelle Geister,”  directed by  Beatrice Murmann, at the FU-Studiobühne Berlin, Germany.  In the next year, the actress played Isabel in Andreas Schaap's “Must Love Death,” starring Sami Loris, Manon Kahle and Jeff Burrell, Ayse in the German made for television movie “Engel sucht Liebe,” opposite Yvonne Catterfeld, Max von Thun and Anja Kling, and Narges in the short film “Meeting Laura.”

After playing Vina in the short “NOS” (2010), Rashidi co-starred in Ciril Braem's “My Prince. My King” (“Mein Prinz. Mein König”, 2011). She reunited with director Oliver Rihs for the comedy film “Dating Lanzelot,” which premiered at the Zurich Film Festival on September 30, 2011 and is set to be released in German theaters on August 30, 2012. On stage, she portrayed Torte in “Wie man Wünsche beim Schwanz packt” (2011) at Berlin's Galerieetaqen.

In 2012, Rashidi guest starred in the long running crime series  “A Case for Two,” playing Ayshe in the episode “Mord im Callcenter.” The crime/thriller movie “Slave,” in which she appeared as a nurse, will be released in Czech Republic on November 12, 2012.  She is set to play Faiza in the upcoming TV film “Die Geisterfahrer,” opposite Julia Dietze, Tobias Moretti and Uwe Ochsenknecht.


Awards:

New York International Independent Film & Video Festival: Best Breakthrough Actress, “A2Z,” 2007  Show Less