Cutting Through Rocks

The 2025 documentary by Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni follows Sara Shahverdi, elected the first woman village council head in a village in northern Iran. She rides a motorcycle, owns land and is divorced, and everyone in the village has an opinion about it. Its strength is refusing to build her struggle as a story of victory: when she opposes the early marriage of girls, it is not only men who stand against her but the women who keep the arrangement going. The camera stayed in the village a long time, which makes it possible to watch relationships change. The pace is slow and the ending left partly open. Who it's for: viewers interested in social change in Iran and struggles for women's rights. Who it's not for: anyone wanting a fast narrative, or looking for a clear story of gains won.