75 mins | Persian, English | 2023 | India, Iran

Fascinated by Iran’s film culture and the poetic works of the feminist poet Forough Farrokhzad, Indian filmmaker Sreemoyee Singh sets out in search of the protagonists of Iranian cinema. Her interactions over six years with filmmakers Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Shirvani and human rights activist Nasrin Sotudeh, among others, depict the precarious situation in which critics of the regime find themselves, including the constant threat of imprisonment and being banned from practicing their profession. With a keen eye for unusual situations, she poetically captures the effect of the Islamic Republic’s omnipresent censorship on the daily lives of Iranian women whose uncompromising struggle has put them at the forefront of the protests that are currently rocking the country.

And, Towards Happy Alleys is a passionate declaration of love for the cinema and poetry of Iran which also provides a frank view of daily life, and bears witness to a fearless generation raising its voice and implacably demanding its civil liberties.

Inspired by Iranian cinema and the poetry of Forough Farrokhzad, a young director from India journeys to Tehran to witness how resistance becomes a daily act of survival in Iranian society. Despite stringent censorship of the Islamic Regime, she collects a series of eloquent and candid interviews with filmmaker Jafar Panahi, activists and Iranian women. Over six years, these conversations with the camera capture the simmering anxieties, fears, hopes and dreams of a nation on the brink of revolution.

The screening will be followed by Q&A with the audience.