Paria Yaghoubi

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. Progressing along a rough timeline from birth to death, each story is shot in a static camera angle as a single petitioner negotiates with an authority figure hovering just outside of frame, who is practiced in the language of doublespeak.

This formalist film is a 20-minute take (a continuous shot) with reverse chronological narration where scenes unfold in reverse order without any cuts. Although it has a narrative structure, the execution and form of the film are experiential and formalist.