Project Title: "Freedom of Speech, Thought, and Expression"

Synopsis: This production advocates a culture of human rights and aims to cultivate prevalence of a culture of tolerance within societies by focusing on the freedom of speech, thought, and expression principles of the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights". The “Freedom of Speech, Thought, and Expression” project will take the audience on an empowering journey to transcend limiting and unfavorable barriers with introducing thought provoking, constructive, and inspirational modern concepts. This production is part of the 12Petals Media Group’s Culture of Human Rights and Responsibilities Advocacy Production Series.


Genre: Short & Computer Graphic
Running time: TBD
Release date: TBA
Financiers: Seeking Sponsors/Financiers
Filming location: San Francisco Bay Area, California
Produced in: San Francisco/Bay Area, California, USA

Director/Producer: Majid Baradar
Screen Writer: 12Petals
Film Production: Afshean Hessam
Production Supervisor: Shahriar Marachi
Art Director(s): Ardalan Payvar & Shadi Yousefian
Art Production: Ardalan Payvar & Shadi Yousefian
Public Relations: Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi



..................................................................................................................






MAJID BARADAR
Director/Producer

Majid Baradar's long cherished career was in professional Civil/Earthquake Engineering. Awarded for his exemplary contribution to the profession throughout his public and engineering career, doing work towards the public good was of great value to him then, just as it is now. He is also the author for several published and well-respected books within the seismic engineering field (Professional Publication Inc.). Majid was always interested in film making. Coming from a background that has required strategic planning, Majid founded 12Petals Media Group with a focus on projects with social relevance. In 2010, this vision and his experience culminated in his first producing short film titled "Culture of Human Rights". Beside this upcoming advocacy production, his center of attention is on paving the way to ultimately produce his documentary film "Human Rights: For Everyone?" Majid is currently serving as Executive of Development for 12Petals Media Group.


..................................................................................................................






AFSHEAN HESSAM
Film Production

Afshean Hessam, born in Tehran-Iran, is a producer/film maker. He began his artistic journey with photography at a young age. Afshean moved to California in 1995 where he received his BA in motion picture and television from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. He founded his own production company "The Apparat Production"in 2005 specializing in music videos and short films. Afshean has also been an active producer/video journalist in the San Francisco Bay Area covering local artists, community groups, social/political activists, and their associating events. He gladly offers 12Petals Media Group advocacy projects his film production aptitude.

..................................................................................................................






SHAHRIAR MARACHI
Production Supervisor

Shahriar Marachi serves as Web & New Media Director for 12 Petals Media Group, having been an early contributor since providing the group's hosting platform through Servemark. Shahriar has previously worked as Web Consultant at Bedrock Brand Consultants, where he developed the website of MobileMetrix, a non-profit using handheld mobile devices to help the poorest populations. He has also worked as a web developer at Apple's Creative Services division.

Shahriar graduated from University of California, San Diego, with a Bachelor of Science in Physiology & Neuroscience, and a minor in Psychology. Leaving medicine for the excitement and potentials tying his knack for technology with his creative sense, he is exactly where he wants to be using his knowledge and experience in web and new-media toward the growth of a meaningful cause. As a U.S. born American-Iranian, Shahriar believes 12Petals can reconnect Iran's venerable heritage with America's founding principles of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" through extending awareness and understanding of the most natural global doctrine, Human Rights.

..................................................................................................................






ARDALAN PAYVAR
Art Direction/Art Production

Ardalan Payvar is an artistic director, graphic designer. He was born in Tehran, Iran and from very early age became passionate about art and music. Ardalan moved to the United States in 1993. He studied Graphic Design and Fine Arts at California Polytechnic State University of San Luis Obispo (Cal Ploy) and has been working as a graphic designer since 2000. He is the founder and Artistic Director of Tact Design. He is also an Art Director at Beedaar Production, a video production studio founded by him and Shadi Yousefian. Ardalan extends his all-embracing art direction, design, film, and media experiences to the "Freedom of Speech, Thought, & Expression" project.

..................................................................................................................






SHADI YOUSEFIAN
Art Direction/Art Production

Shadi Yousefian is an artistic director and photographer specializing in Fine Art photography. Born in Tehran, Iran, Shadi moved to the United States when she was sixteen. She received both her Bachelor's (2003) and Master's (2006) of Fine Art in photography from San Francisco State University. She received the Thirteenth Annual Stillwell Show (2002) Award for her Self-Portrait series at San Francisco State University. As a student, she also received 3rd place International Photography Awards 2004 in Fine Art Portrait Category for her Self-Portrait series and 3rd place International Photography Awards 2005 in Fine Art category for her Universal Identity series. Shadi was also the recipient of the prestigious Jack and Gertrude Murphy Fellowship in the Fine Arts in October 2005. Shadi has exhibited her work in San Francisco, New York, Louisiana, Iran, London, and Barcelona. Shadi is also a founding member and artistic director of Beedaar Production, a video production studio specializing in music video procuction. Shadi proffers her art direction, photography, production experience to the "Freedom of Speech, Thought, & Expression" project.

..................................................................................................................






BANAFSHEH ZAND-BONAZZI
Public Relations

Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi was born in Tehran in 1961 to Iranian journalist parents. She attended the American University in Paris as well as at the IDHEC, the French Institute of Higher Cinematic Studies. In 1982 she came to the U.S. and continued studies at the, University of Maryland.. She studied film as well as linguistics. Banafsheh has enjoyed a successful career in the film industry, as associate producer and line producer on feature, independent and documentary films for the big screen and HBO.

Banafsheh has conjoined her experiences and contacts of 22 years of activism and has begun her work as a full-time political and human rights activist and advocate. She is a regular contributor to many American and European political publications. Banafsheh has appeared on CNN, Fox, BBC, C-Span, Aljazeera and Voice of America TV and she has been a weekly contributor and resident Iran analyst on the John Batchelor radio show as well as other radio shows around the globe.

Banafsheh was one of the organizers of the Secular Islam Summit that took place in Saint Petersburg, Florida in 2007 which was the first conference of its kind bringing liberal Muslims and apostates of Islam together. She was also the editor of the English section of Iran Press News, one of the top rated Persian websites. Banafsheh is the founder of Planet Iran the most comprehensive site covering Iran-related news and all aspects of Iranian culture, history and society. With 12Petals Media Group, Banafsheh as a Public Relations intends to bring to the fore credentials that create credibility for 12Petals and achieve the 12Petals Media Group's culture of human rights advocacy productions and objectives.