Mahnaz, a 20 year old Iranian girl in school in New York City, feels isolated, alone, and powerless as Iran explodes into a historic moment of political upheaval, violence, and revolution. The political situation consumes her everyday life, as she begins to lose herself in involvement from afar. She organizes protests, writes articles, and obsessively follows the news on social media. Through all of this, she falls out of sync with her friends who have trouble understanding her need to stay plugged in.
While in this difficult mental space, she crosses path with Roshan, another young Iranian, who reminds Mahnaz of home. Roshan feels familiar, but distant, as she begins to appear in Mahnaz’s everyday life – in class, at the library, on the street, and in her apartment. Is Roshan a manifestation of Mahnaz’s anxieties, an old friend, or somewhere in between?
Directed by Lilinaz Hakimi (USA)