Storytelling | Breaking Silence | Visibility

Monirah Hashemi is an actress, director, and playwright from Afghanistan, dedicated to storytelling as a form of resistance and preservation.

She co-founded the Simorgh Film Association of Culture and Art in 2005, focusing on using film and theater to address pressing social issues.
She also co-founded A Night With Buddha, an event launched in 2013 in Bamiyan Valley to commemorate the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddha statues by the Taliban. This festival emphasizes preserving culture—tangible and intangible—with a particular focus on women as storytellers and narrators of heritage.

Having experienced a nomadic childhood marked by constant movement, Monirah draws on her personal journey to illuminate the complexities of being a woman. Her storytelling stems from an understanding of the physical and emotional struggles that shape lives in her community and beyond. She firmly believes in the power of art to reveal stories that challenge patriarchal structures, encourage critical conversations, and inspire change.

Monirah’s work investigates how patriarchal systems leverage religion, tradition, and culture to suppress women’s voices while controlling narratives and limiting opportunities for change. By reclaiming these narratives, her work not only confronts oppression but also celebrates the strength and resilience of women who continue to resist.

Through storytelling, Monirah shines a light on voices often silenced, revealing the extraordinary within the ordinary. Her work underscores the idea that sharing stories is a revolutionary act—one that can transform how we view the world and our place within it.