Set in October 1977, on the brink of the Iranian Revolution, a forbidden love story unfolds between Khosrow, a SAVAK officer, and Shirin, a young woman accused of political activism. Amidst growing political unrest, their passion blooms in secrecy, forcing them to confront dangerous choices. Torn between loyalty to their homeland and their love, they must navigate a path of betrayal, survival, and defiance as the revolution looms. A powerful tale of love, freedom, and sacrifice in a time of turmoil.
Woman is the first part of a trilogy that, from the perspective of the Iranian diaspora, supports the feminist revolution in Iran. Using documentary techniques to highlight street protests, the film presents civil disobedience as a collective performance and probes the discourse around women, life, and freedom.
On September 16, 2022, in Teheran, the murder by police of the young Mahsa Amini, arrested for "wearing a headscarf contrary to the law", sparked off an unprecedented insurrection. Within hours, a spontaneous movement formed around the rallying cry: "Woman, life, freedom". For the first time, women, joined by men and students, took the initiative and removed their veils, the hated symbol of the Islamic Republic. The Iranian population, from all regions and social categories, rose up in protest. Social networks went wild. The diaspora (between 5–8 million Iranians) took up the cause, and the whole world discovered the scale of this mobilization: could the theocratic regime be overthrown this time?
Pegah talks about Gholam, a man who’s not like her father, mother, uncles, or aunts, even though he’s always present at family gatherings. Gholam films these everyday scenes with his own camera. At the time, Pegah can’t imagine what the purpose of these films might be, but she’s happy to pose before the lens of this family friend, who she’s certainly very fond of.