Docuseries on Yassmin Pucci Pahlavi, Granddaughter of the Last Shah of Persia, Shooting in Cannes (EXCLUSIVE)

Italian director and producer Michela Scolari has acquired global rights to the story of Yassmin Pucci Pahlavi, granddaughter of the last shah of Iran — and cousin to Iran’s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi, who is trying to position himself as a player in Iran’s future — for a new documentary series.

The docuseries, which Scolari is directing, has begun filming, including at the Cannes Film Festival where the production is capturing a reunion between princess Yassmin and her cousin Cyrus Pahlavi.

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The project is based on Yassmin Pucci Pahlavi’s book, published in Italian and titled “Non Chiamatemi Principessa” (“Don’t Call Me Princess”), which traces her unique family history. The book is described in promotional materials as providing vivid portraits of the lives of her mother, Farah Arvand, and her grandmother, princess Ashraf Palavi, sister of the last shah of Iran.

The Yassmin Pucci Pahlavi project is conceived as a multilayered IP, spanning beyond the documentary series to also comprise a book and a scripted show, “expanding the story across multiple formats and audiences,” according to a statement.

U.S. writer Karin Tanabe,  author of the historical fiction novels “The Diplomat’s Daughter” and “The Gilded Years,” has joined the team and is currently writing a fiction book inspired by Yassmin’s life. Tanabe is repped by William Morris.

The still-untitled docuseries is described as “a quest for identity that evolves into an investigative mission, uncovering long-buried secrets, unresolved mysteries and family truths tied to one of the most powerful royal dynasties of the 20th century: the Pahlavis,” a statement said.

“Born into a family marked by exile, silence and the aftershocks of revolution, Yassmin — who is also a professionally trained actress — sets out to confront the reticence that has surrounded her life and legacy. Her journey begins with testimonies from those who watched her grow up, before taking her to Paris, where she confronts her royal cousins and seeks access to the secret archives of the Pahlavi dynasty, the family that once ruled what was considered the shining Empire of Persia before the revolution forced them into exile,” it added.

“I have known Yassmin Pucci Pahlavi for many years, and it has been a privilege to witness her remarkable professional evolution as an actress,” said Scolari in the statement.

“But even more striking has been her growth as an activist, as a woman, and as a deeply perceptive observer of our world,” she went on to note. “Over time, she has embraced her identity with courage and purpose, becoming a powerful voice for Iranian women.”

The series is being co-produced by Scolari in partnership with CarmOne Prods., based in Zurich, and American Troubadours. Currently attached producers include Brenda Emmett and Vince Emmett for American Troubadours, Angelo Boffa and Remo Muggli for CarmOne Prods. and Dan Treinish for Getty Images.

Scolari is also a producer on the upcoming John Travolta musical rom-com “That’s Amore!” written and directed by Nick Vallelonga, who won two Oscars for writing and producing the 2018 hit “Green Book.”

Pictured above from left to right: Yassmin Pucci Pahlavi, Michela Scolari