The Glass House

Wednesday, October 21, 2009
6:30 pm ET
New York

“One of those rare films that make you forget that you are watching a documentary.”
—Setareh Sabety, Iranian.com

Delving into the hidden lives of young women struggling with uncertain futures, The Glass House gives a complex portrait of contemporary Iran where old traditions are questioned. These females, abused and battered, have been cast away by their society and family, but have found a home at Omid e Mehr, a rehabilitation center that offers education and counseling. Filmmakers Hamid Rahmanian and Melissa Hibbard deftly illuminate the dark reality of Iranian culture, giving a voice to the resilient women who want to defy convention and determine their destiny. Among the unforgettable women is the former juvenile delinquent Nazila, who raps through her anger and pain in a country that forbids women to sing. (92 minutes)

This screening is in association with the Sundance Channel.

Director Statement
We wanted to make a film that erased the boundaries of place. Our girlsʼ problems are not the issues of Iran but of modern urban societies. Our challenge was making a film that audiences around the world can relate to. We did not want people to come away from the film thinking these were the problems of others—“Poor Iranian girls…Glad those are not our problems.” By creating an un-ethnic modern soundtrack, choosing super wide shots of Tehran to emphasis the anonymity of the city, and following subjects that are confronting modern dilemmas, we were able to remove the label of “Iran-topic” from the film and tell a universal story that audiences around the world can connect to and hopefully come away from inspired.

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