The Persian Version
Synopsis
Coming from two countries that are at odds with each other, Iranian-American Leila (Layla Mohammadi) strives to find balance. She embraces her opposing cultures, while boldly challenging the ways she’s been defined by each of them. When her big, traditional family reunites in New York City for her father’s heart transplant, Leila must confront both her own identity and long-held conflicts — as well as some surprising parallels — with her mother, Shireen.
Punctuated by a bright color palette, snappy comic dialogue, and vibrant dance numbers, The Persian Version delivers an honest portrayal of a woman who remains unapologetically herself, blended seamlessly into a heartfelt story about family, belonging, and the undeniable influence of pop music. Winning both the Audience Award and Screenwriting Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Maryam Keshavarz delivers a universal and timely story reflecting the Iranian and Iranian-American experience.
Screenings & Events
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Media
Film Credits
- Anne Carey, Ben Howe, Luca Borghese, Maryam Keshavarz
- Maryam Keshavarz
- Abolfazl Talooni, Joanne Yarrow, A.C.E.
- André Jäger
- Layla Mohammadi, Niousha Noor, Kamand Shafieisabet, Bijan Daneshmand, Bella Warda, Chiara Stella, Tom Byrne, Shervin Alenabi, Arty Froushan, Samuel Tehrani, Jerry Habibi, Reza Diako, Andrew Malik, Parmida Vand, Ash Goldeh
- Rostam Batmanglij
- Nyla Hazratjee, Amy Nauiokas
- Stage 6 Films, Marakesh Films, Archer Gray Production, AGX, A Bigger Boat
Sponsors
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The Space Race
Synopsis
Pioneers in civil rights and outer space, Black astronauts like Guion Bluford, Victor Glover, and Chicago’s own Mae Jemison boldly ventured where no Black Americans had ever gone before. The Space Race is the untold story of their adventures in flight and the social forces they endeavored to transcend. Anchored by the story of Ed Dwight — who was handpicked by JFK to be the first African-American in space before he was dropped from the mission — the film chronicles the personal and political battles these pioneers encountered through the decades.
Filled with rich historical footage and candid interviews with many self-proclaimed “Afronauts,” the film connects their ambitions with cultural forces like the Black Power movement and the Afrofuturism of icons like musician Sun Ra and author Octavia Butler. Expansive, moving, and uplifting, the film is a profound act of reclamation, giving voice to a group of trailblazers, who have been largely missing from the official history — until now.
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Film Credits
- Alexandra Bowen, Aly Parker, Mark Monroe, Keero Birla, Lisa Cortés, Diego Hurtado de Mendoza
- Frank Marshall, Tony Rosenthal, Carolyn Bernstein, Leland Melvin
- Kennedy/Marshall Company
Sponsors
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Black Perspectives Program Sponsors
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The Teachers’ Lounge Das Lehrerzimmer
Synopsis
When Carla Nowak, a dedicated sports and math teacher, starts her first job at a high school, she stands out for her idealism. Then, one of her students is suspected in a series of thefts at the school, and Carla decides to investigate the matter on her own. Carla tries to mediate between outraged parents, opinionated colleagues and aggressive students, but is relentlessly confronted with the rigid structures of the school system. The more desperately she tries to do everything right, the more the young teacher threatens to break.
This gripping drama about conformity, racism, and rebellion — Germany’s entry into the Oscars — is an incisive look at the rapidly shifting power dynamics and complex search for truth in contemporary society.
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Film Credits
- Ingo Fliess
- İlker Çatak, Johannes Duncker
- Gesa Jäger
- Judith Kaufmann
- Leonie Benesch, Michael Klammer, Rafael Stachoviak, Anne-Kathrin Gummich, Eva Löbau, Kathriin Wehlisch, Sarah Bauerett, Leo Stettnisch, Oscar Zickur, Antonia Küpper, Elsa Krieger, Vincent Stachowiak, Can Rodenbostel, Padmé Hamdemir, Lisa Marie Transe
- Marvin Miller
- if...Productions
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They Shot the Piano Player
Synopsis
In this lively animated music documentary, a New York journalist named Jeff Harris (Jeff Goldblum) goes on a quest to uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of a young Brazilian jazz pianist, Tenorio Jr., in the 1970s. The film switches back and forth between Harris’ present-day investigations in Brazil and Argentina, where he tracks down and talks to music virtuosos like Gilberto Gil and João Gilberto, and beautifully envisioned memories of the Bossa Nova music scene of the ‘60s and ‘70s.
From the directors of the Oscar-nominated animated feature Chico and Rita, They Shot the Piano Player is both an engaging political murder mystery and a snapshot of the creative freedom and musical innovation that took place during a turning point in Latin American history, just before the continent was engulfed by totalitarian regimes.
Screenings & Events
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Film Credits
- Cristina Huete
- Fernando Trueba
- Arnau Quiles
- Jeff Goldblum
- Nano Arrieta, Fabien Westerhoff
- Fernando Trueba P.C., Les Films d’Ici, Submarine Animanostra
Sponsors
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Cynthia Stone Raskin
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Raging Grace
Synopsis
In a posh London neighborhood, undocumented Filipina worker Joy arrives at her latest job with her young daughter Grace smuggled in her suitcase. As Grace hides in an upstairs bedroom, Joy takes care of the estate’s patriarch, Mr. Garrett, who’s bedridden and slowly dying of cancer. Then an ominous revelation emerges, threatening to destroy everything that Joy has strived for in her new life.
In this bold and frightening portrait of race, class, and power, British-Filipino filmmaker Paris Zarcilla skillfully mixes tongue-in-cheek social commentary with plenty of jump scares and haunted-house thrills. Called a “coming of rage” story by its director, the film builds to ever greater heights of thrills and blood-splattered carnage, as mother and daughter attempt to break out of the cycle of exploitation that has long trapped their people.
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Film Credits
- Chi Thai
- Paris Zarcilla
- Christopher C.F. Chow
- Max Eigenmann, Jaeden Paige Boadilla, Leanne Best, David Hayman
- Jon Clarke
- Last Conker
Sponsors
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