Baran Sarmad (b. 1993, Hamedan, Iran) is an Iranian filmmaker and producer known for her distinctive cinematic voice, often blending elements of reality with fantasy and exploring complex emotional landscapes. Since childhood, her interest in surreal atmospheres has been evident through her paintings and short stories.

Before attending university, she directed the short film Must Be Black (2014). She studied dramatic literature at Soureh University of Arts in Tehran, where her thesis focused on the daily lives of women as represented in the films of Chantal Akerman. During her undergraduate years, she co-founded an independent film studio with Mohammad Reza Meyghani, producing their first film, Dar, in 2015, followed by Cleaner in 2018, for which she was both producer and editor.

Baran’s first professional short film, Spotted Yellow (2019), premiered at the Locarno Film Festival and was screened at numerous prestigious international festivals, including Chicago, Atlanta, POFF, Glasgow, and Palm Springs. In 2020, she served as the producer and production designer for Orthodontics, a film nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival and screened at Sundance Film Festival. In 2022, Baran became a member of the Locarno Academy.

She is also one of the producers of Diba, which received the Best Pitching Screenplay award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023.

Currently, Baran is developing her debut feature film, Mellow Pink, which was selected for the Pop Up international film residency and mentorship program, in collaboration with CNC, and has received full funding support from the French Embassy.