Sahand Sahebdivani

Sahand Sahebdivani (born 18 May 1980 in Tehran) is an Iranian–Dutch storyteller, musician and founder of cultural center the Mezrab.[1][2]

Sahand Sahebdivani
Sahebdivani tells a story at the Jafani Festival 2014 in Rotterdam
Born18 May 1980
Tehran
Occupation(s)Storyteller
musician
actor
Years active1999–present
OrganizationCultural center the Mezrab
PartnerRasha Hilwi
AwardsStoryteller of the Year (2014)
Amsterdam Fringe Gold Award (2017)
Amsterdam Prize for the Arts (2020)
Websitehttps://sahebdivani.com

Biography

After the Iranian Revolution, at the age of three Sahebdivani fled with his parents from Iran to the Netherlands in 1983.[3][4] They were originally headed for Canada, but missed their transfer in Amsterdam, which is why the family ended up in the Netherlands.[5] In his twenties he by chance got the opportunity to become storyteller at the Tropenmuseum, when another Iranian storyteller noticed his hat in the tram.[5] He became motivated to continue his parents' Iranian tradition of storytelling and music making, which is why he founded the Mezrab in 2004.[6] This started as a monthly gathering in a small teahouse, but within ten years grew into an established cultural center with a multidisciplinary programme of five days per week.[2][7][8][9]

As his cultural center grew, so did his career as an artist. Together with various storytellers, actors and musicians he performs at theatres and festivals across the Netherlands and internationally.[10] In 2014 he was chosen as the Netherlands' Best Storyteller of the Year.[11] In 2017 together with storyteller Raphael Rodan he won the Amsterdam Fringe Gold Award for their play My Father Held a Gun.[12] In 2020 Sahebdivani's cultural center won the Amsterdamprijs voor de Kunst (Amsterdam Prize for the Arts) for Best Achievements.[13]

Theatre

Sahebdivani played in among others the following plays and shows:

  • 2012–2015: Kingdom of Fire and Clay[14][15]
  • 2016–2017: My Father Held a Gun[16][17]
  • 2018: In het Hol van de Leeuw[18]
  • 2019: De Ontheemden[19]
  • 2020: Sons of Abraham[20]
  • 2022: Stories of King Monkey[21][22]
  • 2022: Het verre woord[23]
  • 2023: Nachtreis[24]

See also

References
  1. "Sahand Sahebdivani: "Mezrab is about storytelling in combination with a very basic and humanistic form of sharing a space"". Movement Exposed. 9 July 2020.
  2. Vidal, Laura (23 November 2015). "Amsterdam's Sahand Sahebdivani and His Storytelling Phenomenon". Global Voices. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  3. "Profile Sahand Sahebdivani". Amsterdam High School for the Arts. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  4. Spreksel, Djuna (12 January 2020). "Dutch Iranians are worried about Iran: 'We feel powerless'". Trouw (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  5. "The story of the Mezrab". 2Doc.nl (in Dutch). 15 May 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  6. "If on a spring's night an Iranian plectrum and a bowl of delicious soup". As Soup as Possible. 13 May 2015.
  7. "MEZRAB | The House of Stories". Mezrab – The House of Stories.
  8. Burman, Nicholas (20 December 2017). "Telling Stories at Mezrab". Amsterdam Alternative. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  9. Martins, Ana (28 October 2022). "Mezrab – storytelling nights". Spotted by Locals. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  10. "A Dutchman Making His Persian Debut at Israeli Storytelling Festival". Haaretz.
  11. "Sahand Sahebdivani storyteller of the year 2014 | Het Verteltheater". Verteltheater (in Dutch). 5 June 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  12. "My Father Held A Gun winner of Amsterdam Fringe Gold Award". Theaterkrant (in Dutch).
  13. "Winners released of Amsterdam Prize 2020!". Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  14. Conor, Ailie (16 March 2015). "The kingdom of fire and clay – seen 7 march 2015 – a review of ailie conor" (PDF).
  15. "Kingdom of Fire and Clay (Iran vs Israel) – Sahand Sahebdivani & Raphael Rodan". Melkweg.
  16. "My Father Held a Gun – Theatre National". theatrenational.be. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  17. "My Father Held a Gun". The English Theatre. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  18. schreef, Lonnie Ostrop. "In het hol van de leeuw (14+) by Dox, Black Sheep Can Fly". Theaterkrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  19. "De ontheemden door Mezrab". Theaterkrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  20. "Sons of Abraham – Theatre National". Theatre National. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  21. "The Stories of Kinge Monkey, Sahand Sahebdivani Theatre Deyssel Frascati". Frascati Theater (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  22. Sprits, Podium. "Podium Sprits". Podium Sprits. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  23. "Het verre woord by Sahand Sahebdivani". Theaterkrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  24. "Nachtreis (6+) | Sahand Sahebdivani | Theater Zuidplein". Theater Zuidplein (in Dutch). Retrieved 3 November 2022.
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