Terrestrial Verses(2023)

A satirical take on the mundane absurdities of life in modern-day Iran, these nine vignettes illuminate the lighter side of enduring under authoritarian rule. Whether choosing a name for a newborn, graduating from grade school, getting a driver’s license, applying for a job, or seeking approval for a film script, if you live in Iran, you best come fluent in Orwellian discourse. Progressing along a rough timeline from birth to death, each story is shot in a static camera angle as a single petitioner negotiates with an authority figure hovering just outside of frame, who is practiced in the language of doublespeak.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Director: Ali Asgari, Alireza Khatami

Actors: Bahram Ark, Sadaf Asgari, Ardeshir Kazemi, Gohar Kheirandish, Farzin Mohades, Faezeh Rad, Majid Salehi, Arghavan Shabani, Hossein Soleimani, Sarvin Zabetian

Release date: 2023-10-05

Country of origin: Islamic Republic of Iran

Length: 1h 17m

Ratings:

• 7.3/10
• 96%