Audience Award and Special Jury Prize for the Cast at the Rome Film Festival. Best of Fest at the 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival. Nominated for Best Film at Tallinn Black Nights.

The screen adaptation of Azar Nafisi’s beloved memoir tells the true story of a literature professor in revolutionary Iran who, amidst censorship and religious extremism, gathers seven of her most dedicated female students to immerse themselves in banned literary classics. Their discussions become a lifeline, sort of a rare space where they can finally be themselves, even if only briefly.

Eran Riklis

The first Israeli to graduate from the National Film and Television School in England, Mr. Riklis has enjoyed a flourishing five-decade filmmaking career with much international critical, commercial and festival acclaim, most notably with The Syrian Bride (2004). The Human Resources Manager (2010) was Israel’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards. That film, as well as Lemon Tree (2008), Zeytoun (2012) and A Borrowed Identity (2014) have all made their Chicago premieres at the CFIC.