Leili Khodaei

Leili Khodaei, born in 1985 in Tabriz, Iran, began writing poetry at the age of 13 and was an active member of the Azerbaijan Poets Foundation. She studied physics and mathematics during her early education and later pursued Persian literature at the University of Tabriz. In 2013, Leili moved to the Netherlands and studied film direction at the Dutch Academy for Visual Creation. She directed her own short film Second Room and the documentary The World’s First Female Afghan Motorcycle Instructor for VPRO, which profiles Seweta Zirak in a personal portrait. Leili is also an active member of the Buddy Film Foundation, an organization that connects film professionals with a refugee background to the Dutch film industry. In addition to her work in literature and film, Leili has completed studies in management, including Logistics Management and Human Resource Management. Since 2009, she has been a committed advocate for human rights, focusing on critical issues in Iran such as child marriage and language rights.