Navid, an Iranian Kurd living in Tehran, meets Setareh during the protests that erupt following the 2009 elections. They continue their political activism at their university until one day Navid is thrown out. To cap it all, Setareh’s father tells him to stay away from his daughter; if Navid really loves her, so the argument goes, he will not ruin her future by continuing to woo her as a penniless man. Navid pleads for a period of grace in which he can find work and a place for both of them to live. As we observe him making his way through the loud and hectic Tehran, we gain an insight into the different social circles and ways of life in this city. Gradually, Navid’s frustration turns into aggression. The tone of Reza Dormishian’s second film is pervaded by the attitudes of a young generation without prospects. Their anger informs the film’s rhythm and the camera captures their restlessness. This allows us to experience at close quarters the powerlessness of a lost generation which feels robbed of its birthright, and whose protests come to nothing.
