Fatemeh Ekhtesari

Fatemeh Ekhtesari is an Iranian poet, author, and independent filmmaker based in Norway. She holds a master's degree in midwifery, yet writing has always been her primary form of expression.

She has published ten books across various literary genres, including poetry collections, short stories, and genre-defying works. Her poems have been translated into numerous languages—including Norwegian, English, German, and Italian—and several of her texts have been set to music by various artists.

Ekhtesari previously edited a journal dedicated to postmodern literature in Iran, which was subsequently censored and shut down. Today, she edits *Iranian Independent Literature Magazine*, an online literary journal.

In 2013, she was arrested and imprisoned in Iran’s Evin Prison before being released on bail. In 2015, she was sentenced to 11 and a half years in prison and 99 lashes.

Following the verdict, she fled Iran—first to Turkey and then to Norway—with the support of ICORN (International Cities of Refuge Network).

She has lived in Norway since 2017, where she continues her literary work. She has participated in numerous literary festivals in Norway and abroad and has appeared as a guest author at many events.

Among her most recent books published in Norway are *Hun er ikke kvinne* (She Is Not a Woman) and *Vi overlever ikke* (We Do Not Survive), both of which have garnered significant attention from readers and critics alike

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