Born in Isfahan (Iran), Zam Zadeh (Azam Masoumzadeh) is an award-winning storyteller. With a background in speculative narration (L’ERG, Belgium), and Digital storyteller from (Kask, Belgium). Her work has been shown in Canada, South Korea, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands and Belgium.
In 2020, her virtual reality project based on the poetry of Omar Khayyam - GLAD THAT I CAME, NOT SORRY TO DEPART, received a jury Prize at the Anima Festival.
Zam Zadeh’s latest virtual reality project, 275 MILLION BIRTHS AND DEATHS, is currently in late development and has been selected for the European Creators Lab, IDFA DocLab Forum, NewImages, and La Biennale di Venezia Gap-Financing Market.
zam has conducted workshops in Belgium, Switzerland and Germany on digital culture, storytelling and emerging extended realities.
Awards and bursaries
Netherlands Film Fund (2024): Production support, 275 MILLION BIRTHS AND DEATHS
Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds (2023): Production support, 275 MILLION BIRTHS AND DEATHS
Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds (2022): development support, 275 MILLION BIRTHS AND DEATHS
De Auteurs Fonds (2022):275 MILLION BIRTHS AND DEATHS
Anima Festival, Brussels (2020): Special mention
Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds (2020): Scenario support, 275 MILLION BIRTHS AND DEATHS
Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds (2018): Production of GLAD THAT I CAME, NOT SORRY TO DEPART
Literatuur Vlaanderen (2018): Writer’s bursary
Kharazmi Festival (2008): Winner, national competition in fine-art
Education
KASK School of Art (Belgium), Postgraduate in Digital Storytelling (2018)
L’ERG (Belgium) Master in speculative narration (2017)
Sint-Lukas School of Art (Belgium), Master in Illustration and Comics (2014)
Art University of Tehran (Iran) Bachelor in Textile Design (2012)
Residency and Fellowship:
European Creators’ Lab, Luxambourg, (2023)
MK&G on-line Felllowship, Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg, (2022)
Les ailleur, 275 000 000 NAISSANCES ET DÉCÈS, Arles, (2021)
De Koer, AN ARCHIVE OF IMAGINARY CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN DISTANT NEIGHBOURHOODS, Gent (2020)
Screenings
“Glad that I came, not sorry to depart”, Argos center for audiovisual arts, Brussels, Belgium, 2023
Rode Hond Festival, Leuven, Belgium, 2022
Kaboom Animation festival, Amsterdam, Netherland, 2021
JEF film festival, Antwerp, Belgium, 2021
Wollah! Van Eyck Was Here. Lamb of God, Gent, Belgium, 2020
Bucheon Animation festival, Seoul, South Korea 2020
Mooov film festival, Turnhout, Belgium 2020
Anima festival, Brussels/Belgium 2020
Exhibitions:
“Glad that I cam, not sorry to depart”, Exhibition, Argos, Brussels, Belgium, 2023
“Bearable lightness of being”, Exhibition, Pianofabrick, Brussels, Belgium, 2022
“Glad that I cam, not sorry to depart”, Exhibition, Grafixx, Antwerp, Belgium, 2022
“Bearable lightness of being”, Solo Exhibition, Pianofabrik, Brussels, Belgium, 2022
“A jug of wine and nothing else”, Solo Exhibition, Art Base, Brussels, Belgium, 2019
Group exhibition, Art Base, Brussels, Belgium, 2016
Fumetto International Comics Festival, Switzerland, 2015
Individual exhibition in Sint lukas University, Brussels, Belgium, 2014
Press:
Bruzz international, Azam Masoumzadeh, "Vrijheid is niet vanzelfsprekend", 2022
De Standaard, Azam Masoumzadeh, “Badgeheimen”, 2021
Bruzz international, Azam Masoumzadeh, "Cutting edge comics from a brussels bathroom", 2020
Isfahan Ziba, Azam Masoumzadeh, Glad that I came not sorry to depart, 2021
2021
BlVRD bimonthly magazine, Azam Masoumzadeh, Glad that I came not sorry to depart, 2019
Bruzz international, Azam Masoumzadeh, "Als je je dromen tekent, komen ze ook uit", 2019
The Bulletin, Azam Masoumzadeh, The story behind The Bulletin's spring magazine cover, 2018
Publications:
2022
Medor, Azam Masoumzadeh, “Je ne suis pas un menteur”
2020
Glad that I came, not sorry to depart ( Graphic novel, Cassette for timescapes)
Glad that I came,not sorry to depart (Timescapes, Ghent)
2019
Let the Wind Below (Wind Europe, Brussels)