Dir. Steffi Niederzoll
2023, France, Germany, 97 min
Farsi with English subtitles
In the summer of 2007, 19-year-old Reyhaneh Jabbari meets with a new client, a former agent of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence, who attempts to rape her. In self-defense, she stabs him and flees. Later that day, she is arrested and charged with his murder. Over the next seven years, Reyhaneh endures life in prison while she and her family fight a legal battle in her defense. In her documentary debut, director Steffi Niederzoll retells the story of Reyhaneh’s case, which garnered the world’s attention and international pressure for her release. Through secretly recorded videos and the voice of Zar Amir Ebrahimi (Best Actress, 2022 Festival de Cannes for Holy Spider) as Reyhaneh, we follow Reyhaneh as she stares down pending execution. Resolute in her stance against her accusers, she sheds light on the injustices women in Iran face and becomes a symbol of resistance and women’s rights.
Content warning: This film includes challenging and/or triggering subject matter, descriptions of sexual assault and gendered violence.
“This is a compelling true crime narrative that unfolds nearly 10,000 km away, using the facts of the case to call attention to the disparaging state of the country’s women’s rights.” – Sarah Gopaul, Digital Journal
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