Sarvin Zabetian

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.

Seti loves music and singing, and she yearns for her voice to be heard. But in Iran, women are forbidden by law from performing in public, so the young girl decides to stage her own personal protest. The street becomes her stage, and random passersby become her enthusiastic audience. Her star rises, and Seti becomes an idol for her generation—young people who refuse to live under ruthless political oppression any longer.

A school teacher from Tehran is preparing to attend a wedding in northern Iran. When her husband suddenly forbids her to go, she makes a choice that will place her on a painful path to atonement.