Divorce Iranian Style

Two decades after the Islamic revolution and twenty years before the great protests of Iranian women, Longinotto visits a family court in Teheran specialising in divorce cases. Immediately after entering the building, one can notice segregation according to sex, but the biggest differences in the treatment of men and women emerge when successive cases are examined. The camera captures not only bureaucracy and inequality but also shameful marital problems and tremendous emotions that accompany divorce. Assisted by an expert, anthropologist Ziba Mir-Hosseini, the director provided an insightful portrait of the institution and a unique depiction of Iranian traditions and female determination.