Mishkin-Qalam (1824-1912), which translates to “The Musk-Black Pen”, was the leading 19th Century calligrapher of the Persian Empire. He was a master of Calligraphy and Nail Script (which involves the use of a fingernail to inscribe artistic imagery onto specially prepared paper), an Astronomer, a Sufi, and one of the nineteen Apostles of the Baha’i Faith. Despite being an exile and prisoner of the Ottoman Empire for over 50 years due to his spiritual beliefs, he survived to live on 3 different continents and producing a body of work of outstanding beauty. Examples of this work may now be seen in locations including the Harvard Art Museums (Cambridge) and the British Museum (London). Amongst the most recognisable images Mishkin-Qalam had produced in various formats is one of a rooster inscribed by Persian calligraphy, representing the dawn of a new age of universal peace.

The documentary entitled MISHKIN-QALAM, filmed and produced in Cyprus- the island to which the artist was exiled to for 19 years- tells the story of his life and art through historical dramatic re-enactments, animations produced in the middle eastern “miniature” style, and Persian, Greek and Turkish language interviews all dubbed in English, with scholars and family members based in Cyprus, Italy, the USA, Israel and Australia.