Sānsūr

Six women, who bravely defied the written and unwritten boundaries to freedom of expression in Iran, face the consequences of not conforming to censorship. An artist, schoolteacher, journalist, athlete, musician and actress experienced lay-offs, harassment and arrests. They are forced to either obey, or live a life in exile. Through their stories, this creative documentary questions what kind of sacrifices are required of Iranian women and what censorship, such as the wearing of the mandatory hijab, means for their identity, individuality and dreams. This is the story of women seeking freedom, and as they leave behind repression, harassment, arrests and discrimination, they slowly find little openings again to laugh, to sing, and to dance.

Anonymous Woman

Hormuz, Iran

Going against her parents wishes, she followed her dream of becoming an artist, only to soon discover that creative expression for a woman in Iran comes with many limitations. Drawing female figures, performing in plays, or creating sculptures; no creative profession comes without censorship in Iran. After an unsuccessful attempt to migrate to Canada, she finds refuge on the Southern island of Hormuz where she now creates ancient Persian masks.

Anonymous Woman

Tehran, Iran

As she started her political studies with the dream of entering politics, she became drawn to education and became a schoolteacher instead, to realize her dream to achieve a change in her country. She would speak freely to her teenage girls, educating them on taboo topics such as sexuality. Pressure and harassment by the school board followed, leading eventually to being completely expelled from teaching by the state.

Yasaman

Istanbul, Turkey

Journalist Yasaman Khaleghian was forced to endure harassment and several rounds of interrogation before being charged with “disturbing public opinion,” “spreading lies” and “promoting corruption” through her articles, which addressed the situation of minorities and girls in Iran. After breaking the story of Iran’s involvement in the downing of flight PS752, she saw no other option but to flee to Turkey.

Soodeh

The Hague, Netherlands

Soodeh Lashkari is relieved to leave the fourth asylum camp she has lived in within four years and to finally have a place of her own. As a player for Iran’s national cricket team Soodeh was part of a training camp, which in reality was a “praying camp.” The women’s team was never meant to actually go anywhere for sports. Something that did not sit well with the rebel she had become after breaking free from a teen marriage.

Kimia

Bologna, Italy

From a young age she had one passion: music. With the desire to play and sing with a direct connection to people, Kimia Ghorbani decided to entertain on the streets of Tehran. She soon learned that singing and dancing in public can be a dangerous endeavor for women in Iran. As the first female street musician in the city she faced harassment from police, city guards and the public, including arrests and bullying. Leaving an abusive marriage she ends up starting a new life in Italy. Here she can, literally, let down her hair for the first time in her life.

Golshifteh

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Actress Golshifteh Farahani starred in her first film at only 14 years of age. When she started appearing in Western movies and posed for international magazines, it became clear that life in her home country had become impossible. She was expelled from Iran in 2012. Even though she is a rising star of Hollywood, it has been a difficult decade in exile.