PARADISE (MA DAR BEHESHT) World Cinema

Modern-day Tehran is a veritable paradise for some, but the treatment of women depicted in this film presents a tougher portrait. Haneieh is a 25-year-old teacher living in Tehran with her married sister. After an unexpected, violent act throws all of Haneieh’s relationships into chaos, she must struggle to find her way out from under the weight of the rampant sexism found in Iranian culture. This stunning debut feature film was shot largely guerrilla-style on the streets of Tehran, without permission from the government, which gives it an added sense of tension and urgency. With a powerful lead performance by Dorna Dibaj, PARADISE is a sharp critique of the all-too-casual prejudices in Iran and their devastating consequences. —Lane Kneedler