Desiree Akhavan

Desiree Akhavan is an IranianAmerican film director, producer, screenwriter and actress based in New York. She is best known for her 2014 feature film debut, Appropriate Behavior.

Akhavan was born in New York City in 1984. Both of Akhavans parents immigrated to the United States following the Iranian Revolution in 1979 Akhavan has stated in interviews that they now identify as American. Her father has not returned to Iran since the 1980s, though Akhavan occasionally visited family overseas as a child. As a child, Akhavan lived in New Jersey before her family moved to Rockland, New York. As a commuting student, Akhavan attended the Horace Mann School, an independent prep school in the Bronx, for her high school years. During this period of time, Akhavan struggled with feelings of loneliness My life was in New York City but I would sleep in the suburbs and I didnt know anyone there. I didnt have friends and I didnt have a life, other than watching television and movies.

Source: Wikipedia