Iman (Misagh Zare) has just been promoted to Investigator, a stepping stone to the prestigious and lucrative position of Judge in Iran. But there's a catch: He's now expected to blindly follow the dictates of the authoritarian Iranian government. As demonstrations against compulsory hijab-wearing rock the city, his wife Najmeh and two daughters show sympathy for the protesters and he subjects them to interrogations as though they, too, have transgressed the law. As her husband hardens in defense of an unjust system, will Najmeh stand up to him—and to the state?

Filmed in secret, writer-director Rasoulof's incendiary family drama shows how totalitarian rule can erode even the bonds between parent and child, husband and wife. Forced to flee his homeland after authorities learned about the film's subject matter, Rasoulof attended the premiere at Cannes, where he earned the Prix Spécial and a 12-minute standing ovation. Courtesy of Neon

D: Mohammad Rasoulof, France/Germany/Iran, subtitles, 2024, 2h48m