Reading Lolita in Tehran
A fearless tale of women who defy oppression, finding solidarity in the face of tyranny.
In post-revolution Iran, where women’s rights and freedoms were suppressed, Azar, a bold and inspired teacher, clandestinely gathered seven of her most committed female students to read forbidden Western classics. Despite the grave dangers posed by morality squads and fundamentalists, these women risked everything to find a safe space in Nafisi’s living room where they could speak their minds. As they explore each literary work, the teacher and her students dive deep into their shared social being on the most genuine note. This is a story of bravery, defiance, and the endearing power of literature in the face of oppression.
Starring Golshifteh Farahani (“Pirates of the Caribbean”) and Palme d'Or winner Zar Amir Ebrahimi (“Holy Spider”), “Reading Lolita in Teheran” is a gripping adaptation of Azar Nafisi’s bestselling memoir. It captures the unbreakable spirit of women defying censorship, tyranny, and injustice as they find strength in a world determined to silence them.
Milani Perera
Eran Riklis is one of Israel’s most acclaimed filmmakers, working as a director, writer, and producer for over 45 years. Born in Jerusalem in 1954, he was raised in Montreal, New York, New Haven, Rio de Janeiro, and Be’er Sheva in the south of Israel.
He studied in the Film Department at Tel Aviv University (1975–77) and graduated from the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, England, in 1982.
Riklis’s award-winning films have been released worldwide to both critical acclaim and commercial success.
He is married to Dina, a film director, and is the proud father of Tammy, a journalist, and Yonatan, a jazz pianist and film composer. He is also a grandfather to Eleanor and Tomi (both four years old) and to Goni, three months old.
Riklis has been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 2017, the European Film Academy since 2007, and the Israeli Film Academy since 1991.
Tzomet volkan (Vulcan Junction, 1999), Pituy (2002), The Syrian Bride (2004), Lemon Tree (PÖFF 2008), The Human Resources Manager (2010), Playoff (2011), Zaytoun (2012), Dancing Arabs (PÖFF 2014), Shelter (2017), Reading Lolita in Tehran (PÖFF 2024)
