Bahram Ark

Recalling the poetic realism of Abbas Kiarostami and his father Jafar Panahi, Panah Panahi’s sensational debut uproariously speeds through the picturesque terrains of northern Iran. Full of laughter and songs, this heartfelt family road trip embodies the unconditional love that stands against harm.

Unfolding in nine incisive vignettes, this elegantly minimalist, powerfully subversive portrait of the everyday absurdity of life under authoritarianism follows an array of Iranians as they navigate the cultural, religious, and institutional constraints imposed on them by various social authorities, from schoolteachers to bureaucrats. These stirring snapshots—by turns humorous, affecting, Kafkaesque, and tragic—capture the spirit and determination of ordinary people in the face of adversity, offering a provocative, nuanced perspective on a complex society.