Behnam Gilani | Script Revolution
Behnam Gilani's picture
Behnam Gilani
Tehran, Iran

Born on February 4th, 1971. My first brush with the film and television industry took place during my formative teenage years. Filled by a burning desire to learn more about the intricacies of the movie business, I spent most of my summer vacations in the technical rooms of the National Iranian Television where a number of my favorite elder cousins used to work. And, when my mom landed a minor role in an experimental Tele-film, the passion for acting as well began to take hold.

At the age of 21, I moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates where I met Mr. Nicanor A. Odejar, a university professor, who played a significant role in developing my communication, writing, and business skills. I call him "Dad" now. Realizing the value of good education, I then went on to complete in 2000 my Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems at the University of Humberside & Lincolnshire - UK.

Not content with just having a university degree, I also enrolled in an online course and began studying film studies - Film Directing. And, to hone my English writing skills, I started writing comic fiction, short stories as well as articles, which were often published by the local daily newspapers such as “Gulf Today”, “tabloids”, etc. My write-ups appeared regularly in the newspaper's section "Time Out". My articles likewise appeared later in another Dubai-based newspaper “Khaleej Times”.

In 1999, I met an industrial filmmaker based in Dubai, who introduced me to the who’s who of Dubai's film industry. Such encounters eventually led to my receiving many offers to act in TV commercials or produce voice-overs and the like.

In 2001, I acted in N. B’s first feature film “Don Juan of Karaj”. This was soon followed by acting roles in different TV shows and commercial ads. In one of them, I acted along with “Mr. George Ghardahi”, a Lebanese celebrity, actor, and TV presenter who had recently produced a TV hit "who wants to win a Million). In 2006, I again got the lead role in the feature film "Are You Still Around?" which was shot in Dubai. The film participated in a few international film festivals later on.

Apart from acting, I also write both in Persian and English. In fact, my first collections of hand-written poems have already been published in a book entitled “I’m alive with you, I Live for You”. My first book was released in Tehran in late 2005. My second book, “Straw Paper”, was released in early 2007. Publishers promised me that my Persian language books will also be translated into English, Arabic, and French too. They lied. In 2019, after three years of research and writing, I completed my third book, an epic 790 pages, a four-volume book, and my first book written in English “In Parallel to the Euphrates”. This novel is being edited currently and is scheduled to be published in early 2022. I just finished writing a Sci-fi/Mystery Screenplay. I've decided to convert my epic novel “In Parallel to the Euphrates”, into a Television Series Film Script.

For several years beginning in 2001, I worked in Dubai as the Media Manager for a well-known freehold property developer. Those years saw me producing TV and radio commercials, industrial and social documentaries, and infomercials, as well as directing over 102 TV Commercials, infomercials, short films, etc. for different companies in Dubai/U.A.E, England, Ireland, Egypt, Cyprus, Turkey, Lebanon, Bahrain, Iran, Russia, etc. Then I got married to my ex and moved to Europe.

In June 2008, I received my master’s degree in Film Directing. Currently, I write and work as an independent film director. But for many reasons I've not been allowed to work in my country for many years. My current focus is on completing my tv series film script but I welcome directing telefilms, features, and TV commercials, etc. The latest telefilms that I have directed and co-produced include “Peggy’s Happy Days”, “Flute”, “Write my Story”, and “Square”, which all have controversial angels to them (That's one of the reasons I'm not allowed to work in this country). My latest completed film project, a documentary titled: “Riding the Rainbow” was nominated for an award at Abu Dhabi Film Festival 2012 and CEBU Film Festival 2014.

I'm here because I'm hoping my screenplays would open a door for me to get out of this country and feel the real freedom once again.

Scripts By Behnam

Unforeseen Encounters
When a pollution-induced disease is ending the lives of humans and hybrids, an alien-human crossbred young boy with super-human abilities and a curative power must help both to prevent an interspecific war.
Feature Mystery, Sci-Fi For sale 126pp
2 readers love this script
The Blind Witness
To make the restless spirits stop tormenting him, a psychic blind boy must convince those still angry at them, even now that they are dead, to forgive them.
Feature Horror, Thriller For sale 117pp
1 reader loves this script
What happened to Brady Starr
When an ill-mannered young boy is getting punished by both, a Jinn and a Demon, a priest and an Islamic scholar must help him before the entities destroy him.
Feature Horror For sale 119pp
In Parallel to the Euphrates
To save the Christian woman whom he is besotted with from becoming a sex slave, a disabled Muslim man must fight his way through the terrorists to protect and escort her to safety.
TV Pilot Drama, War For sale 17pp
3 readers love this script
Don't Die On Me
When terrorists attack, three outcast friends risk their own lives to escort a group of fellow citizens to safety.
TV Pilot Drama, War For sale 53pp