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Iranian Stunt Woman Wins US Crystal Award

Iranian Stunt Woman Wins US Crystal Award
Iranian Stunt Woman Wins US Crystal Award

Iranian stunt woman Mahsa Ahmadi has won the Special Achievement Award at the 8th Annual Action Icon Awards.

The 2015 ceremony which honors stuntwomen and action-oriented actresses was held last week in California, where Ahmadi, 25, received the Crystal Award, Khabaronline reported.

For the eighth consecutive year, the event introduced talented and courageous women who often risk their lives to create some of the most impactful and exhilarating scenes in movies.

A young talented daredevil, Ahmadi is recognized as Iran’s first stunt woman and has been in the profession for eight years. “I am the first Iranian stunt woman who has worked in film productions in Hollywood, Bollywood, Europe and Turkey,” she said.

The American event awards the top five female stunt performers in the world. It is customary that Americans win the prize, however, for the first time an Iranian was honored this year.

The Crystal Award brought tears of joy. “I could not help it. I had prepared something to say but I was so excited that I could not speak.”

“When the ceremony host introduced me and called my name, the entire audience gave me a standing ovation. The biggest names in stunts were among the participants; I was so greatly moved that the tears did not let me talk,” she said.

A day earlier, Andy Armstrong, stunt director of ‘Amazing Spiderman 2’ wrote in his Instagram feed that Ahmadi will receive the award.

Gary Powell, stunt coordinator of the new James Bond movie ‘Specter’ was one of the participants who said he rarely attends such ceremonies but had come to see the Iranian lady who won the best stunt woman award.

 Sky Diving, Bungee Jumping

Ahmadi has several firsts: first woman sky diver in Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, first woman in bungee jumping and coach, the first Iranian stunt woman in foreign films and the only female base-jumper in the country.

She began gymnastics as a young child and spent 11 years in the Iranian national team, winning in numerous competitions. At the age of 17, she joined the group ‘Stunt 13’ in 2007.

The high point of her career was in the James Bond film, ‘Skyfall’. In 2013, the international stunt crew of 100 men and 4 women, who performed in the film, won the American Screen Actors Guild Award for the best stunt group in a feature film.

For Ahmadi, the breakneck car chases and furious scenes in ‘Skyfall’ were a “unique experience”.

She fights, she drives cars at breakneck speed, she jumps out of planes and helicopters. These are just a few of her talents.

She has also done a number of risky scenes in 21 Iranian films and performed stunts in several foreign productions as well. ‘Ice Age’ and ‘360 Degree’, which are currently on screen in Iran, are among her latest collaborations.

“I love my country and I wish for all Iranian women to shine in any field they are working in.”

In her Instagram feed she has written: “This is what I wanted to say on stage. I have climbed the steps one by one to reach here. It was a difficult path and I faced a lot of hurdles but I lived with them and enjoyed the way.  I love this job and share my joy with my great nation and the world’s stunt people”.

 

Financialtribune.com