BERIT MADSEN | IRAN, DENMARK, NORWAY, SWEDEN, GERMANY | 2013 | 92' | PERSIAN, ENGLISH WITH DUTCH SUBTITLES
"Do you think God chose you to fight for astronomy in Iran?" an angry uncle asks 16-year-old Sepideh Hooshyer, a girl who spends the nights scanning the sky with her telescope, trying to understand the secrets of the universe. All she dreams of is becoming an astronaut one day. But Iran is not a country where women can easily pursue such dreams. Her mother isn't taken with the idea either; she just wants her daughter to learn to cook better. Apart from all that, her family just doesn't have the money to send Sepideh to university. The only one who believes in her and supports her is Asghar Kabiri, her physics teacher.
However, being an astronaut is definitely not impossible for an Iranian woman, as Anousheh Ansari proved in 2006, when she was the first Iranian to travel to space. Sepideh gets in touch with her.
Berit Madsen, originally a social anthropologist, wrote, directed and shot her debut film. Her remarkable documentary is not primarily about female oppression, but rather demonstrates what intelligence and especially determination can accomplish.
Screenings
Venue: Rialto
SAT 16 AUG – 16.30 
SUN 17 AUG – 16.30