Me, Maryam, the Children and 26 Others

• Farshad Hashemi
• 102 min
• Iran, Germany, Czech republic
• 2024
• Fiction

A young woman opens her home for a film shoot, leading to newfound insights about her role as a woman in Iranian society.

Farshad Hashemi, previously known for his work as an assistant director on Ali Abbasi's Holy Spider, impresses with his remarkable directorial debut. The story revolves around a financially struggling woman who rents out her home, inadvertently subjecting her private life to the chaos of a film crew. On one level, it's a thought-provoking reflection on the nature of filmmaking and its ability to capture the intricacies of everyday life. Simultaneously, it serves as a poignant political film that, through the tale of one woman's restricted freedom, addresses the broader issue of women's oppression in Iran. It's also a playful and humorous film, both in its form and content."

- Johan Blomqvist