Silenced by the Iranian regime, filmmaker Ali Asgari turns house arrest into art.

On his return to Tehran after the premiere of his satire “Terrestrial Verses” in Cannes, director Ali Asgari was arrested. The Iranian regime confiscated his passport, his phone, his computer, even his hard drives. He spent six months under house arrest, without permission to use social media or make any other films.

This strange situation inspired Ali to make his first hybrid documentary, reflecting on censorship, interrogations, fears, dreams, disappearances, pollution, loss and childhood wings. No one can confiscate endless memories. In a lyrical voice, Ali tells (un)real stories about a definite love for dark grey Tehran and falling in love in Rome.

He appears on camera with his mother and sisters, who never knew that all his films, which are banned in Tehran cinemas, were about them.

Edvinas Pukšta