BIOGRAPHY

Atena Eshtiaghi, an Iranian composer residing in Germany, has gained recognition for her work in film music composition, notably winning the Deutscher Dokumentarfilm-Musikpreis 2024.

Born in Tehran in 1989, she studied Classical music and explored traditional Persian music. Since 2007, she has performed as a professional cellist and double bass player, both solo and with various orchestras. Collaborating with Tehran Symphony Orchestra and Iran National Orchestra, Eshtiaghi’s journey has been marked by performing alongside icons like Kayhan Kalhor and Mohammadreza Shajarian on international stages.

Eshtiaghi contributed as a composer and music performer to notable performances including “Uprising Bodies” and “Silence of the Ropes.” Her career as a film music composer took off in 2021, as she composed for acclaimed films like “I’m Trying to Remember” (2021) published by the New Yorker, and “Endless Borders” (2023). Her work on the multi-award-winning documentary film “My Stolen Planet” by Farahnaz Sharifi earned her the Deutscher Dokumentarfilm-Musikpreis at DOK.fest München in 2024.

In Germany, she got the INTRO scholarship and worked at Bürgerhaus Wilhelmsburg. Now based in Hamburg, she co-founded “Duo Azadi” with pianist Clara Haberkamp and established the “Ateneum Music Studio”, where she produces her music. Currently collaborating with the remarkable singer and composer Golnar Shahyar, Eshtiaghi has showcased her versatility across various projects. She also acted as the Artistic Director of the three-day “Hastam Festival” (2024) in Bürgerhaus Wilhelmsburg, which featured the new generation of professional Iranian artists from around Europe, alongside contributions from artists of other nationalities. This festival received the Helga Festival Award Germany.

Most recently, Eshtiaghi became a Berlinale Talents alumna in 2025 and a member of the European Film Academy.