Tehran by 'Taxi'

"Taxi" is a 90-minute cab ride through Tehran, the capital of Iran. The director himself is in the driver's seat. His passengers are simply people wanting to get from A to B to take care of business, do errands, or meet friends. These two woman want to take their goldfish to a funeral.

Panahi doesn't just transport unknown people. Nasrin Sotoudeh, a renowned human rights activist and lawyer also gets on board. Sotoudeh and Panahi know each other well. They both received the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought from the European Parliament in 2012.

Jafar Panahi refuses to be quieted by the regime and has won a great deal of respect from his fellow Iranians. Here he's pictured with - and being photographed by - well-known Iranian actress Roya Teymourian.

For many years, Jafar Panahi has been considered to be one of Iran's most significant filmmakers. The director makes the most of his prominence to speak up for improvements in his country. He's pictured here at a demonstrations by Mothers for Peace, an organization against war in Gaza.

Panahi's work has been honored at numerous international film festivals. He's received prizes in Cannes, Venice and Locarno. And his 2015 Golden Bear wasn't his first prize from Berlin. In 2006, he received a Silver Bear for "Offside."

Jafar Panahi couldn't attend the Berlinale himself in February 2015, due to the travel restrictions placed on him by the Iranian authorities. His niece, 10-year-old Hanna Saeidi, who appears in "Taxi," accepted the Golden Bear in his stead from jury president Darren Aronofsky and jury member Audrey Tautou.