CUTTING THROUGH ROCKS (DOK DIVERSITY DAY)

In the organizer's words:

IRN/NLD/USA/BRD/QAT/CHL/CAN 2025, Documentary, 95 min

Director: Sara Khaki & Mohammadreza Eyni - OmeU (Azerbaijani, Farsi with English subtitles)

The protests with the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom" in Tehran and other major cities seem far away from where Sara lives. But the protagonist of this film stands up for the same feminist values in her rural community in northwest Iran in a very practical way. We are repeatedly reminded in images that her father once taught her to ride a motorcycle - much to the displeasure of the village. A small favor with a big impact: for Sara, it paved the way beyond patriarchal marriage. Mobile on two wheels, she worked as a midwife and gave birth to numerous girls, for whom she now wants to stand up again: at the beginning of the film and in the middle of her life, Sara decides to become the first woman in the history of her community to run for the local council. A move that earns her enthusiastic support on the one hand; on the other, she has to endure open hostility and a hearing with the Islamic Republic's morality watchdogs. In "Cutting Through Rocks", Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni capture these power structures and their individual impact just as precisely as gestures of solidarity and self-determination. (Jan-Philipp Kohlmann) Still © Autlook Filmsales

The protests under the slogan "Woman, Life, Freedom" in Tehran and other major cities seem a world away from where Sara lives. Yet the protagonist of this film champions the very same feminist values in her own practical, everyday life within her rural community in north-western Iran. Time and again, we are reminded through images that her father once taught her to ride a motorcycle - much to the village's displeasure. A small favor with a huge impact: for Sara, it paved a path beyond patriarchal marriage. Mobile on two wheels, she worked as a midwife and delivered numerous girls, for whom she now wishes to stand up once more: at the start of the film and in the middle of her life, Sara decides to stand as a candidate for the local council - the first woman in her community's history to do so. A move that, on the one hand, earns her enthusiastic support; on the other, she must endure open hostility and a hearing before the Islamic Republic's guardians of morality. In "Cutting Through Rocks", Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni capture these power structures and their individual impact just as precisely as they do gestures of solidarity and self-determination. ( Azerbaijani, Farsi with English subtitles)

Price information:

7.50 € (regular) - 6.00 € (reduced*) - 3.50 € (with Leipzig Pass, disabled pass, volunteer pass) - Films longer than 130 min: + 1.00 € - Tickets are available online (plus 0.70 € booking fee), remaining tickets at the Box Office.