Zahra and Maria study medicine together in Bucharest. It’s 1979 and the fall of the Shah promises change in Zahra's homeland of Iran. She returns full of trust, but what follows is not the liberation she longed for, but rather the establishment of a new totalitarian regime. Then Romania is also in transition. The worlds of the two students are changing rapidly. In impressive images we see women demonstrating against the hijab and men demonstrating for the hijab. We immerse ourselves in these torn worlds in which Zahra and Maria live. Her letters reflect hope, disappointment, concern and compassion. Their deep friendship provides insights into the inner emotional worlds of women who have to assert themselves in turbulent times. This – fictional – story of a friendship shows that human connection provides light even in the darkest times and helps to create a future that may not yet exist. And – as the director said at the premiere at the Berlinale Forum 2023 – warns us: “Don’t let your revolution be kidnapped.”
Vlad Petri & Lavinia Braniște
ReStart/HR
Vlad Petri - Vlad Petri is a director interested in political and social subjects, often mixing personal images with official archives. His films, at the border between documentary and fiction, have been shown been shown and won awards at international festivals. His selected filmography includes: “Between Revolutions” (2023 – feature), "The Same Dream" (2021 -short), “The deer passed in front of me” (2020- short) and “Where are you Bucharest?” (2014- feature).