What do demands for social justice and political change in the Islamic Republic of Iran tell us about its society? The first anniversary of the Kurdish-inspired and female-led revolutionary movement known as Women, Life, Freedom gives occasion to address this question by revisiting the cinematic works of Rakhshan Bani-Eʿtemad, whose films unapologetically focus on poverty, patriarchy, and political participation with courage and nuance. Our Times (2002), her award-winning documentary, tells two stories: the ventures of a young and dynamic generation eligible to vote for the first time and the unlikely and crushing story of a working class single mother who runs for president. The interplay of hope and despair, Bani-Eʿtemad reminds us here, is a constant in the ongoing fight for democratic governance in Iran, and in the world. 

Henry Auditorium

Tuesday, Oct 31, 1:30-3:30pm

“Teller of Truth: Women, Cinema, Freedom with Rakhshan Bani-Eʿtemad”

Film screening of Our Times and conversation with Dr. Nagmeh Samini