Set against the political turmoil of Iran’s 1953 coup d’etat, Women Without Men tells the story of four disparate women whose lives converge in a mystical orchard on the outskirts of Tehran. Fakhri (Arita Shahrzad), middle-aged and trapped in a loveless marriage, struggles with a decision to leave her husband as an old lover returns from America. A young prostitute named Zarin (Orsi Tóth) finds solace in her communion with the land. Meanwhile, the politically-conscious Munis (Shabnam Tolouei) tries to free herself from the shackles of a repressive older brother, who remains the object of her friend Faezeh’s (Pegah Ferydoni) love. Adapted from the magical realist novel by Shahrnush Parsipur, Women Without Men is the feature film debut of Shirin Neshat, the acclaimed Iranian photographer and feature artist, and is a powerful tribute to the untold struggles of women throughout Iranian history.
Directed by Shirin Neshat and Shoja Azari (Germany, Austria, France, 2009)
In Persian and English with English subtitles