Maha Golestaneh

People call me a globe trotter. I call myself a passionate explorer of frontier markets, primitive languages, exotic landscapes, and fresh ideologies. That's why I write stories with a flare of adventure.

I am a scriptwriter and novelist with one registered feature length screenplay and another in development and a novel in development. I am also a researcher and strategist with a focus on transmedia storytelling, integrated marketing communication, business development and statistics. I am also a former university lecturer with a strong publication record on emerging markets.

I am attending the American Film Market to acquire representation, management and/or acquisition for my WGA registered feature-length scriptentitled Don’t Say Forever. It’s a road-trip adventure romantic comedy about Aimée, a love addict who vows to kiss goodbye her amorous lifestyle, but on a humanitarian expedition across Africa she stumbles on Mr. Right.

Much like the protagonists of Silver Linings Playbook and Eat Pray Love,Aimée is on a blissful path toward recovery from heartache. However, Aimée’s character flaw is socially awkward and debilitating. And, her journey toward building enduringly mature relationships is challenging given her addiction is associated with childhood trauma. The story is set in strikingly vibrant African forests, deserts and mountains, which are unfamiliar settings for typical Hollywood romantic comedies, and scripted with 3D shooting in mind.

I have more than a decade of marketing and branding strategy and research experience in South Africa, the United States and the Netherlands. I have conducted business in four South African provinces and have traveled extensively across Africa.

I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Microbiology at the University of Texas, my MBA from Golden Gate University in San Francisco and my PhD in Business Administration at the UCT Graduate School of Business.