Film screening at the Cinema by Velotel

Mickey Mouse T-shirt, sneakers, pink headphones—Selena is standing in front of a mirror in an Iranian boutique and dancing. A scene that could happen anywhere in the world, but not in Iran, at least not while trying on an outfit for the school commitment ceremony. This day marks the end of childhood and the beginning of her life as a young woman. In the future, certain rules will apply to her, just like for all women in public. The mother explains to the saleswoman that Selena loves bright colors, but that is rejected. Shortly thereafter, we see Selena in a long gray coat and a veil that almost reaches the floor.

In nine episodes, EARTHLY VERSES tells of ubiquitous paternalism, bureaucracy, and their controlling power. The state interferes in the choice of names for newborns, questions of fashion, and politically motivated dog kidnappings. It is a quiet yet persistent circus that defends even the most audacious logic with state-serving zeal.

With sharp wit and sarcastic edge, the Iranian directing duo Alireza Khatami and Ali Asgari depict how nine people suffer under the banal malice of bureaucrats. The film is a stirring, dark-humored act of revolution that captivates with its formal-aesthetic radicalism.

„In the film „Terrestrial Verses“, Ali Asgari and Alireza Khatami artfully assemble a picture of Iranian society. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

Follow-up discussion