Payam Feili

Payam Feili (پیام فیلی, born 1985) is an Iranian poet, activist and writer.

Payam Feili
Born1985
Kermanshah, Iran
OccupationPoet, writer
NationalityIranian

Biography

Payam Feili was born in 1985 in Kermanshah in Iran. He began to write in his early teen years. Feili published his first book – The Sun's Platform in 2005 at age of nineteen. The book was censored by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. After that, Payam Feili's works have been banned from publication in Iran.[1] His first novel – Tower and Pond as well as a collection of short essays Crimson Emptiness and Talking Waters were published by Lulu in the United States. The book was published in Persian. His second book – I Will Grow, I Will Bear Fruit . . . Figs was published in Germany by Gardoon Publishers.[2] Other works including the novel Son of the Cloudy Years and a collection of poems Hasanak were published outside Iran. He is blacklisted in Iran not only because of his works, but also because he is openly gay.[3][4][5] He lives in exile in Turkey.[6]

At the end of 2015, Feili visited Israel as a guest of the Israeli Ministry of Culture. The visit was organized with help of culture and sport minister Miri Regev and interior minister Silvan Shalom, who issued a special permit, due to travel restrictions on the entry of Iranian citizens.[7][8]

In 2016, Feili applied for asylum in Israel, which he described as an "interesting, beautiful and amazing" place. He says Israel is "not just another country. For me, it’s like a fairytale place."[9] In March 2016, Feili's visa have been extended to allow him to stay while asylum request is being proceeded.[10] However, after 3 years in Israel, he was still waiting for his asylum request and status in Israel to be officially confirmed.[11]

Awards and recognition
  • Poet of a month. The Missing Slate Magazine.[12]

References
  1. "Being a gay poet in Iran: 'Writing on the edge of crisis'". Index on Censorship. 14 August 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  2. "Gardoon Publishers books". Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  3. "Exiled Iranian poet in Israel". Times of Israel. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  4. Mehrnaz Samimi. "Being a Gay Writer in Iran: Lying to Liars". Iran Wire. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  5. Nina Strochlic (3 July 2014). "Iranian Poet Blacklisted for Being Gay". The daily Beast. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  6. "Young Iranian Poet Seeks Refuge". PEN America. 18 July 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  7. Eli Eliahu. "The Iranian Writer Who Gives Israelis the Self-love They Need". Haaretz. haaretz.com. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  8. Isaac Scarf. "Iranian Gay Poet Visits Israel – a 'Dream Come True'". Haaretz. haaretz.com. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  9. Meet the Gay Iranian Poet Who Has Taken Refuge in an Unlikely Place: Israel
  10. Jack Moore (8 March 2016). "Israel has extended the visa of a gay Iranian poet". Newsweek. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  11. Vilnai, Orly (14 June 2018). "Israel Promised This Persecuted Iranian Poet Asylum. Now It's Making His Life Here Impossible". Haaretz.
  12. Udoka Okafor. "Poet of the Month: Payam Feili". The Missing Slate. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
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