Sadaf Foroughi's coming of age story. This timely film follows Ava, a teenage girl whose life is dictated by the constraints of her conservative, patriarchal community in Tehran.

Running from: Wed 14 - Thu 15 Mar.

After an act of betrayal by her mother, Ava feels increasingly compelled to rebel against the strictures imposed by her parents, her school, and societal norms in Iran that stifle female creativity and self-expression. This visually stunning film offers a searing social critique of the wider discrimination against women, while featuring a strong and complex female character pushed to the limits as she fights to find her voice.

'Iran criminalizes sex outside of marriage which means both law and social practices are very restrictive. Ava highlights how it is mainly women who restrict girls, which is often the daily reality, but exists as part of the wider patriarchy and discrimination against women.' - Rothna Begum, Researcher, Women’s Rights Division, Human Rights Watch

These screening are followed by a post-film discussion with director and writer Sadaf Foroughi.