Filmed in Canada, Iran, and the United States, Secrets of the
Surface: The Mathematical Vision of Maryam Mirzakhani examines
the life and mathematical work of Maryam Mirzakhani, an Iranian
immigrant to the United States who became a superstar in her field.
In 2014, she was both the first woman and the first Iranian to be
honored by mathematics’ highest prize, the Fields Medal.
Mirzakhani’s contributions are explained in the film by leading
mathematicians and illustrated by animated sequences. Her
mathematical colleagues from around the world, as well as former
teachers, classmates, and students in Iran today, convey the deep
impact of her achievements. The path of her education, success on
Iran’s Math Olympiad team, and her brilliant work, make Mirzakhani
an ideal role model for girls looking toward careers in science and
mathematics.
Biography:
George
Csicsery, a writer and independent filmmaker, has produced 35
documentaries on historical, ethnographic, and cultural subjects. His
films on mathematical topics include N is a Number: A Portrait of
Paul Erdős (1993), Julia Robinson and Hilbert’s Tenth
Problem, (2008), Hard Problems: The Road to the World’s
Toughest Math Contest (2008), Taking the Long View: The Life
of Shiing-shen Chern (2011), Counting from Infinity (2015), Navajo Math Circles (2016), and Secrets of the
Surface: The Mathematical Vision of Maryam Mirzakhani (2020).
Between 2010 and 2014 he produced 30 long-form biographical
interviews for the Simons Foundation Science Lives series, and a 150
video documentation of the 2014 Gathering4Gardner meeting (G4G). He
has produced numerous shorter films and videos working with MSRI,
MAA, and independently. In 2009 he received the Joint Policy Board
for Mathematics (JPBM) Communications Award for bringing mathematics
to nonmathematical audiences. In 2017-2019 he was Presidential Fellow
at Chapman University.
