Ghazaleh Golbakhsh
Actor | Director | Writer | VoiceGhazaleh Golbakhsh is an Iranian-New Zealand writer, director and actor who has worked across film and television in both Aotearoa and the UK, as well as studying at USC as a prestigious Fulbrighter.
Alongside her acting, Ghazaleh felt a need to bring her own stories to life - particularly from an Iranian diaspora. Her film credits include writing and directing on the anthology film Kainga which will have its World Premiere at the 2022 NZ International Film Festival and the documentary series This is Us, centring on Muslim Kiwis for RNZ / NZ on Air.
As a writer, Ghazaleh has published her first book of essays, The Girl from Revolution Road (Allen & Unwin) which explores themes of displacement and coming of age as an immigrant in Aotearoa.
She is currently working on a variety of screenwriting projects as well as directing on Shortland Street, NZ’s longest running television drama series.
Alongside her acting, Ghazaleh felt a need to bring her own stories to life - particularly from an Iranian diaspora. Her film credits include writing and directing on the anthology film Kainga which will have its World Premiere at the 2022 NZ International Film Festival and the documentary series This is Us, centring on Muslim Kiwis for RNZ / NZ on Air.
As a writer, Ghazaleh has published her first book of essays, The Girl from Revolution Road (Allen & Unwin) which explores themes of displacement and coming of age as an immigrant in Aotearoa.
She is currently working on a variety of screenwriting projects as well as directing on Shortland Street, NZ’s longest running television drama series.
Full Biography
Credits
Actor
Feature Film
2022 - Going Going - Uzma's Friend - Director - Loren Taylor - Producer - Philippa Campbell
2017 - Six Days - Nooshin - Director - Toa Fraser - Dog with a Bone Productions
Television
2019 - 2022 - Shortland Street - Detective Roshan Namal - South Pacific Pictures
Theatre
2010 - AUSA Shakespeare - Queen Elizabeth - Richard III - Director - Anya Varezhkina and Michael Hurst
2010 - The Vagina Monologues - Under the Burqa - Maidment Theatre
2003 - Theatre in Education - Multiple - ACLE Italy
Short Film
2017 - Time Terminal - Louise - Director - Tom Sainsbury
2010 - Breakdown - Sophie - Director - David Costigan
2004 - The Corridor - Vinous - Black Swan Films UK
Voice Over
2021 - Icarus Fatal Sky - Zella Geshane - Director - Jeff Wood
Web Series
2018 - Smoko - Garafolo - Director - Rachel Ross
TVC
2019 - Spark Business - Diner
2019 - New World - Shopper
2017 - New World - Xmas Shopper
2016 - Principal Insurance - Doctor
2014 - Vodafone - News Reporter
2011 - NZ Lotteries - Mum
2011 - Caltex - Shopper
Writer
2022 - The Girl from Revolution Road - Published by Allen & Unwin, 2020. Released in the US and UK
2022 - KAINGA - Producers - Kerry Warkia, Kiel McNaughton and Shuchi Kothari - Production Company - BSAG Productions
2022 - Lust Wanderer - (in advanced development with the NZFC) Director Producers - Ainsley Gardiner and Georgina Conder - Production Company - Miss Conception Films
2021 - My Life is Murder (Season 2, EP 10) - Written & Created by Claire Tompkins Starring - Lucy Lawless Production company - CJZ Productions Australia for Network 10 (Aus), TVNZ (NZ) and Acorn TV (UK, US)
2021 - Storylining / Additional Writing - Raised by Refugees - Written & Created by Pax Assadi Producer - Bronwynn Bakker and Kevin & Co - Prime TV / Neon (NZ)
2021 - Screenwriter - The Feijoa Club (Season 2) - Created & Written by Kerry Warkia and Kiel McNaughton - Producers - Kerry Warkia and Kiel McNaughton Production Company - BSAG Productions for HeiHei / TVNZ
2021 - Monsters, Slackers, Lovers - Exploring Cultural Identity in Iranian Diasporic Cinema Doctoral Thesis
2020 - Ko Aotearoa Tātou / We are New Zealand - Edited by Paula Morris, Michelle Elvy and James Norcliffe. Published by Otago Uni Press, 2020
2020 - This is Us - Produced by Shuchi Kothari (EP) and Gemma Duncan for Radio New Zealand and NZ on Air
2014 - Mandala - Produced by University of Southern California, Directed by Guan Xi - Released shown at various festivals internationally
2012 - Iran in Transit - Produced by the University of Auckland
Director
2022 - KAINGA - Producers - Kerry Warkia, Kiel McNaughton and Shuchi Kothari - Production Company - BSAG Productions
2021 - 2022 - Shortland Street - Producer - Oliver Driver - South Pacific Pictures
2020 - This is Us - Produced by Shuchi Kothari (EP) and Gemma Duncan for Radio New Zealand and NZ on Air
2012 - Iran In Transit - Produced by the University of Auckland
2014 - Perfect Match - Written by Zanna Gillespie - Produced by University of Auckland Released 2014, Finalist DDB New Directors Showcase
Feature Film
2022 - Going Going - Uzma's Friend - Director - Loren Taylor - Producer - Philippa Campbell
2017 - Six Days - Nooshin - Director - Toa Fraser - Dog with a Bone Productions
Television
2019 - 2022 - Shortland Street - Detective Roshan Namal - South Pacific Pictures
Theatre
2010 - AUSA Shakespeare - Queen Elizabeth - Richard III - Director - Anya Varezhkina and Michael Hurst
2010 - The Vagina Monologues - Under the Burqa - Maidment Theatre
2003 - Theatre in Education - Multiple - ACLE Italy
Short Film
2017 - Time Terminal - Louise - Director - Tom Sainsbury
2010 - Breakdown - Sophie - Director - David Costigan
2004 - The Corridor - Vinous - Black Swan Films UK
Voice Over
2021 - Icarus Fatal Sky - Zella Geshane - Director - Jeff Wood
Web Series
2018 - Smoko - Garafolo - Director - Rachel Ross
TVC
2019 - Spark Business - Diner
2019 - New World - Shopper
2017 - New World - Xmas Shopper
2016 - Principal Insurance - Doctor
2014 - Vodafone - News Reporter
2011 - NZ Lotteries - Mum
2011 - Caltex - Shopper
Writer
2022 - The Girl from Revolution Road - Published by Allen & Unwin, 2020. Released in the US and UK
2022 - KAINGA - Producers - Kerry Warkia, Kiel McNaughton and Shuchi Kothari - Production Company - BSAG Productions
2022 - Lust Wanderer - (in advanced development with the NZFC) Director Producers - Ainsley Gardiner and Georgina Conder - Production Company - Miss Conception Films
2021 - My Life is Murder (Season 2, EP 10) - Written & Created by Claire Tompkins Starring - Lucy Lawless Production company - CJZ Productions Australia for Network 10 (Aus), TVNZ (NZ) and Acorn TV (UK, US)
2021 - Storylining / Additional Writing - Raised by Refugees - Written & Created by Pax Assadi Producer - Bronwynn Bakker and Kevin & Co - Prime TV / Neon (NZ)
2021 - Screenwriter - The Feijoa Club (Season 2) - Created & Written by Kerry Warkia and Kiel McNaughton - Producers - Kerry Warkia and Kiel McNaughton Production Company - BSAG Productions for HeiHei / TVNZ
2021 - Monsters, Slackers, Lovers - Exploring Cultural Identity in Iranian Diasporic Cinema Doctoral Thesis
2020 - Ko Aotearoa Tātou / We are New Zealand - Edited by Paula Morris, Michelle Elvy and James Norcliffe. Published by Otago Uni Press, 2020
2020 - This is Us - Produced by Shuchi Kothari (EP) and Gemma Duncan for Radio New Zealand and NZ on Air
2014 - Mandala - Produced by University of Southern California, Directed by Guan Xi - Released shown at various festivals internationally
2012 - Iran in Transit - Produced by the University of Auckland
Director
2022 - KAINGA - Producers - Kerry Warkia, Kiel McNaughton and Shuchi Kothari - Production Company - BSAG Productions
2021 - 2022 - Shortland Street - Producer - Oliver Driver - South Pacific Pictures
2020 - This is Us - Produced by Shuchi Kothari (EP) and Gemma Duncan for Radio New Zealand and NZ on Air
2012 - Iran In Transit - Produced by the University of Auckland
2014 - Perfect Match - Written by Zanna Gillespie - Produced by University of Auckland Released 2014, Finalist DDB New Directors Showcase
Training
2018 - Acting for Humans - Brita McVeigh
2016 - 2021 - PhD with creative practice in Media and Communications, University of Auckland
2016, 2019 Director’s Workshop run by DEGNZ with Jackie van Beek and Jesse Warn
2014 - Screen Workshop - Miranda Harcourt
2012 - 2013 Directing and Writing for Screen and Television, University of Southern California
2011-2012 Master of Arts with First Class Honours in Screen Production Documentary University of Auckland
2010 - Workshop Casting - Andrea Kelland & Vicky Yiannoutsos
2008 - Voice Coaching - Linda Cartwright
2006 - 2007 - Acting Technique 1 & 2 - Raymond Hawthorne
2007 - Bachelor of Arts in Film, TV and Media Studies
2016 - 2021 - PhD with creative practice in Media and Communications, University of Auckland
2016, 2019 Director’s Workshop run by DEGNZ with Jackie van Beek and Jesse Warn
2014 - Screen Workshop - Miranda Harcourt
2012 - 2013 Directing and Writing for Screen and Television, University of Southern California
2011-2012 Master of Arts with First Class Honours in Screen Production Documentary University of Auckland
2010 - Workshop Casting - Andrea Kelland & Vicky Yiannoutsos
2008 - Voice Coaching - Linda Cartwright
2006 - 2007 - Acting Technique 1 & 2 - Raymond Hawthorne
2007 - Bachelor of Arts in Film, TV and Media Studies
Awards
2020 - Selected for the Story Lab Aotearoa run by Script-to-Screen
2020 - Winner of the CLNZ / NZ Author’s Society Grant
2015 - Selected for the Story Lab Aotearoa run by Script-to-Screen
2015 - Winner Student Directors Guild of America - Short Film - Mandala
2014 - Selected as workshop attendee for Jane Campion Advanced Directing workshop, Big Screen Symposium
2012 - Fulbright Fellow, Fulbright NZ
2012 - Auckland Arts and Cultural Blues Award
2012 - Iran in Transit - Short Film - Winner of Outstanding International Film at Beijing Student Festival; Official Competition, Tel Aviv Student Film Festival
2020 - Winner of the CLNZ / NZ Author’s Society Grant
2015 - Selected for the Story Lab Aotearoa run by Script-to-Screen
2015 - Winner Student Directors Guild of America - Short Film - Mandala
2014 - Selected as workshop attendee for Jane Campion Advanced Directing workshop, Big Screen Symposium
2012 - Fulbright Fellow, Fulbright NZ
2012 - Auckland Arts and Cultural Blues Award
2012 - Iran in Transit - Short Film - Winner of Outstanding International Film at Beijing Student Festival; Official Competition, Tel Aviv Student Film Festival
Skills
Accents - American, Australian, British, Middle Eastern
Languages - Persian - Fluent
Driver’s License - Full
Yoga
Languages - Persian - Fluent
Driver’s License - Full
Yoga