Tehran Taboo

Ali Soozandeh's debut feature deals with a number of taboo subject in Iranian society, particularly sexual and personal freedom. We get a glimpse into four lives in the capital Teheran that are shaped by different oppressive social norms: Pari, who is forced into prostitution and is desperate for a divorce; Sara, who is pregnant and whose husband does not let allow her to work outside the house; and Babak, a musician, who is in a sexual relationship with Donya, who must pretend to be a virgin when she is getting married.

Tehran Taboo masterfully displays the hypocrisy in a society which condemns individuals such as these, while at the same time allowing its leaders to pursue their desires without the risk of being punished. Director Ali Soozandeh has made the film in Germany. From his position abroad, he has a freedom to discuss problems in Iranian society in ways that his fellow countrymen, directors Jafar Panahi and Mohamed Rasoulof – who both must face censorship and imprisonment – can only dream of. JSR

Ali Soozandeh (b. 1970) is born and raised in Iran, but emigrated to Germany in 1995 where he obtained a German citizenship. He has worked with music video and short films, and also contributed to documentaries such as The Green Wave (2010) and Camp 14: Total Control Zone (2012). Tehran Taboo is his first feature film.