Related news: Mallorca celebrities: Sam Asghari: Bridging cultures and creating opportunities in Mallorca’s vibrant film scene

Mallorca has captured the attention of the international film industry, with actor, writer, and producer Sam Asghari emerging as the latest enthusiast for the island.

Asghari, also known as a model and fitness trainer and the proprietor of Asghari Fitness, a website offering personalized training programmes worldwide, is deeply engaged in human and animal rights activism.

Originally from Iran, Asghari moved to the United States at the age of 11. Despite his recent high-profile divorce from Britney Spears , Asghari is now focused on himself while leveraging his career to effect positive change. “It’s like any other marriage, sometimes things don’t work out and I only wish her the best ,” stated Asghari. The exception, of course, being that most marriages that end do not then end up on the cover of every magazine in the world. Most people would fold under that kind of pressure.

This week, following a stay in Dubai collaborating with real estate and development company Selling Sunset Mallorca, owned by long-time resident Nader Behravan , Sam arrived in Mallorca to a contrasting atmosphere.

“It was like night and day, transitioning from Dubai’s fast-paced scene to Mallorca was incredibly eye-opening ,” remarked Asghari. “Both places have their charms, but Mallorca brought me back to reality and a sense of calmness .”

At only the young age of 29 (turning 30 next March), Asghari is committed to giving back, particularly by nurturing future film projects, some of which may feature Mallorca as a filming location. Collaborating with American filmmaker and producer Joe Q. Bretz of Mallorca-based psychodelux.media , Asghari has explored opportunities and held meetings with the likes of Mike Day, CEO of Palma Pictures , among others, expressing excitement about the island’s burgeoning film and TV industry.

“I’ve always wanted to come here and check it out for myself. “So, I’ve got a number of projects which I intend to get off the ground this year and, like I said, I’ve had some great meetings on the island - Palma Pictures has the right equipment, the big studio and a great team, so we can see plenty of options there and elsewhere in Spain. The opportunities are endless when it comes to Spain. “I’m definitely an actor first but I believe that actors should also be writers and producers, so that’s what I’m working on,” he said.

Island’s opportunities Having previously held significant roles in the recent Paramount+’ hit series Special Ops: Lioness , partially filmed in Mallorca, Asghari appreciates the island’s potential first hand.

With high hopes for season two, he remains keen on expanding his involvement in entertainment opportunities on the island. With aspirations to venture into writing and producing, Asghari’s multifaceted career includes maintaining his fitness training business, with a clientele of over 2,000 worldwide.

Asghari sees the convergence of fitness and entertainment as challenging yet rewarding, particularly with the proliferation of streaming platforms offering diverse opportunities. Recognising the collaborative nature of filmmaking and its potential to create employment, he views Mallorca as an ideal locale due to its scenic diversity and lifestyle conducive to well-being.

As a committed animal rights advocate, Asghari has engaged with organizations like PETA and plans to support local animal charities in Mallorca with big plans in the near future. His Persian heritage remains integral to his identity, fuelling his passion for advocating human rights and fostering cultural understanding.

History cannot be held captive While cognizant of challenges facing Iran’s film industry and societal constraints, Asghari remains optimistic about the country’s potential for positive change.

“So, I was half raised in Tehran and then the States and that was a blessing, having been able to have lived my life in two very different cultures. Not a lot of people get to say they are from very complete opposite sides of the world when it comes to culture, politics, freedom and all that. So that’s something I adore and coming from a Persian culture , well that’s one of the richest cultures in the history of civilisation. Being raised in America was also a proud moment for me. It’s provided me with a lot of opportunities.

“As an advocate for human rights and quality of life and, historically, the Persians were huge advocates for human rights, women used to have rights in what was Persia.

“And now, seeing the complete reverse taking place under a completely unjustified government, that’s something that concerns me. Just the other day I was talking about how much passion the women have in Iran. There’s too much history to be held captive by the authorities, so much determination to fight this injustice, even Iranian men are now supporting the women’s’ movement. That’s inspiring to see and I’m seeing a growing movement to get that freedom back in Iran , absolutely. It’s happening right now.

"The government is completely different from the reality, and one beauty about the Persian culture is that it’s so rich, you can only detain it for a certain amount of time. It can and will never be suppressed so it’s just a matter of time before real change happens.

“The Persian culture is so rich and there is so much history when it comes to mathematics, poetry, architecture everything you see. Even here in Spain, there’s so much inspiration from Persian history that it’s too rich to be held hostage by governments and I think the western civilisations see this movement already - you know with the Mahsa Amini movement (her arrest in Tehran for opposing mandatory hijab and subsequent death in police custody sparked a wave of protests throughout Iran).

Proud of my culture That inspired the world, we’ve had musicians, for example, who have won Grammys with songs that they made for the movement. We’ve had posters and photos of Amini all over Los Angeles - the western civilisations see this and that’s one reason I’ve always been proud of my culture - it’s too rich with too much history and too dense to be suppressed. So that’s something the West has seen and this helps the cause which will eventually win and I’m always conscious about this when I post messages or images on Instagram. I’m doing all I can to help,” Sam stressed.

Create job opportunities “They have nothing to lose. It’s one of the most diverse countries in the world with so many different religions and it was once a major tourist destination back in the 70s, one of the most powerful countries in the world. We had everything, all that will return eventually.”

Clearly, he is dedicated to amplifying Persian culture’s rich legacy , and countering western media narratives through his influential platforms, with almost three million followers on Instagram and growing, he has a loud microphone to speak from.

Asghari’s resolve is to create job opportunities, uphold his heritage, and continue his animal rights campaigns, along with contributing to Mallorca’s future. The future is looking brighter than ever for Sam. To join Sam’s three million followers on Instagram: visit @samasghari

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