Growing up in the south of — Abadan and nearby regions — had a strong influence on his aesthetic and subject matter; many of his films reflect the ethnography, atmosphere, and culture of southern. Taghvai began with storytelling: he wrote stories early, then moved into documentary filmmaking around 1967. His first feature film was “Tranquility in the Presence of Others” (1972), based on a story by Gholamhossein Sa’edi, which brought him widespread attention.
Taghvai is often seen as part of the Iranian New Wave. His works frequently deal with the tension between tradition and modernity, especially in the context of southern. Ethnography, landscape, cultural practices, and local dialects are central to his storytelling — he drew from his lived experience in Abadan and the southern coast. He received several awards. For example, Captain Khorshid won Bronze Leopard at the Locarno Festival.
