Synopsis : Simin is an Iranian woman on a journey to discover what it means to be a free American. She works for the Census Bureau which, in an effort to control its citizens, has begun a program to record their dreams. Unaware of this devious plot, Simin is torn between her compassion for those whose dreams she is recording and a truth she must find within.
Festival History : Venice Film Festival 2021 Hamburg Film Festival 2021 Viennale 2021 Riga International Film Festival 2021
Director :
Shirin Neshat & Shoja Azari
Producer :
Amir Hamz, Sol Tryon, Christian Springer
Screenplay :
Jean-Claude Carrière & Shoja Azari
DOP :
Ghasem Ebrahimian
Editor :
Mike Selemon
Cast :
Sheila Vand, Matt Dillon, William Moseley, Isabella Rossellini
Born in Qazvin, Iran in 1957, Shirin Neshat is an Iranian artist and filmmaker living in
New York. She works in the mediums of photography, video installation and film. . She has been the recipient of the Golden Lion Award at the 48th
Venice Biennale (1999), and the Silver Lion Award at the 66th Venice Film Festival
(2009), for her first feature film “Women Without Men". She was featured in many solo exhibitions all around the globe with her work including “Roja” and “Sarah” (both 2016), “Illusions & Mirrors” (2013), “Games of Desire” (2009), “Munis”, “Faezeh” and “Farokh Legha” (all 2008), “Zarin” (2005), “Makdokht” (2004) amongst others.
Shoja Azari was born in Shiraz, Iran in 1957. Azari is a visual artist and filmmaker living in
New York. He has directed several feature films including “K,” based on three short
stories by Franz Kafka (2000); “Windows” (2006); “Simple Little Lives” (2015); and
“Badria” (2017). Azari has been a long-time collaborator with visual artist Shirin Neshat.
They co-directed “Women Without Men” (2009), which won the Silver Lion Award at the
66th Venice Film Festival. Azari’s art works include “King of Black”
(2013), “Idyllic Life” (2012), “Iconic Portraits” (2010) and “The Days of the Last
Judgement” (2009). In Collaboration with Shirin he was also part of “Rapture” (1999)
and “Turbulent” (1998).