Alireza Alavian

A yellow cab is driving through the vibrant and colourful streets of Tehran. Very diverse passengers enter the taxi, each candidly expressing their views while being interviewed by the driver who is no one else but the director Jafar Panahi himself. His camera placed on the dashboard of his mobile film studio captures the spirit of Iranian society through this comedic and dramatic drive…

Filmmaker Jafar Panahi and actor Behnaz Jafari travel to a tiny village after receiving a plea for help from a girl whose family has forbidden her from studying acting. Amusing encounters abound, but they soon discover that the local hospitality is rivaled by the desire to protect old traditions.

A young couple who live in an old house, notice a car outside, that keeps parking in front of their property and suspiciously stares at it..

LARISSA tells the story of a young Afghan refugee girl sold—along with her family—to a powerful landowner, Davood Kan, in Iran. Forced into backbreaking work alongside dozens of undocumented migrants, Larissa’s intelligence and beauty draw the landowner’s attention. Pulled from the fields, she is promised protection and privilege — but at a devastating cost. When she resists his escalating abuse, the illusion of safety shatters. What begins as a quiet attempt to endure becomes a perilous struggle for dignity. Told through a raw and intimate lens, LARISSA is not just the story of one girl but a reflection of countless hidden lives. It confronts the exploitation, silence, and systemic violence faced by Afghan refugees in Iran and other countries, while honoring the resilience of those who refuse to be erased.

Story of Rumi, his friendship with Shams Tabrizi, the love he had for him and the great influence of Shams over him in his life, his poetry and his love for God.

Bahar is an acclaimed Iranian director, having made numerous films selected in international festivals. So when she casts actors and asks them to wear women’s outfits for her latest film, they agree in the hope of an international career — or even a visa to leave the country. But wearing skirts and headscarves under the heat is harder than they expected … as is the hit to their pride.

In the face of an ultimate decision, nature intervenes.

A satirical take on the mundane absurdities of life in modern-day Iran, these nine vignettes illuminate the lighter side of enduring under authoritarian rule. Whether choosing a name for a newborn, graduating from grade school, getting a driver’s license, applying for a job, or seeking approval for a film script, if you live in Iran, you best come fluent in Orwellian discourse.