PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EMBASSY OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

Iman (Misagh Zare), a judge in Tehran's Revolutionary Court, finds his life spiralling into paranoia after he is appointed to a new position amidst widespread political unrest following the death of a young woman. As protests intensify across the country, Iman's gun mysteriously vanishes, leading him to grow increasingly distrustful of everyone, even his wife, Najmeh (Soheila Golestani), and their daughters.

The Seed of the Sacred Fig is a gripping political drama which weaves a tense narrative that unflinchingly examines a country’s escalating paranoia through a family unit. Writer-director Mohammad Rasoulof, an open critic of the Iranian regime, had to shoot his film in secret. Following completion of production, he was sentenced to eight years in prison, eventually fleeing the country and smuggling his footage into Germany.

The film itself has since gone on to win a bevy of awards, and was nominated for Best International Film as the German entry at this year’s Oscars.