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Cutting Through Rocks


Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni | Iran, Germany, United States, Netherlands, Qatar, Chile, Canada | 2025 | 94 mins. | English, Turkish, Persian | India Premiere

Thu, Oct 30 | 1:15 PM | PICTURETIME 1 (BASKETBALL COURT)

Poster - Cutting Through Rocks

As the first elected councilwoman of her deeply conservative Iranian village, Sara Shahverdi, a divorced, motorcycle riding, former midwife, stands out. Tenacious and not easily intimidated, Sara is determined to uplift her community and put an end to the empty promises and laziness perpetuated by local councilmen over the years. But it is as an advocate for the girls and women in her village where she encounters the greatest opposition. Among other things, she aims to break long-held patriarchal traditions by training teenage girls to ride motorcycles and stopping child marriages. When accusations arise questioning Sara’s intentions to empower the girls, her identity is put in turmoil.

 

Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni

Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni

Sara Khaki is a director, producer and editor with a dedication to telling stories about gender equity. Her co-directed film, Our Iranian Lockdown, featured in The Guardian and was nominated for a 2020 IDA Award. Her Netflix Original documentary feature, Convergence, received a 2022 Emmy nomination. She is a Chicken & Egg Films and Sundance alumna.

A Sundance and Tribeca alumnus, Mohammadreza Eyni is a director, producer and cinematographer, whose career and cinematic approach bridges boundaries and elevates under-represented voices. As the co-founder of Gandom Films Production LLC, Mohammadreza has produced and directed international films with his directing partner, Sara Khaki.

Producer: Sara Khaki, Mohammad Reza Eyni
Writer: Sara Khaki, Mohammad Reza Eyni
Cinematographer: Mohammadreza Eyni
Editor: Sara Khaki
Sound: Karim Sebastian Elias
Music: Karim Sebastian Elias
Cast: Sarah Shahverdi

Sundance Film Festival 2025 – Grand Jury Prize: World Cinema Documentary

Visions du Réel 2025 – Audience Award

San Francisco International Film Festival 2025

Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival 2025

Sydney Film Festival 2025

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Dharamshala International Film Festival

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District Kangra, HP 176057

For general inquiries: [email protected]

Dharamshala International Film Festival,
DIFF House, PO Sidhpur,
Dharamshala
District Kangra, HP 176057
For general inquiries: [email protected]
Sign up to stay updated on lineup announcements, festival details, and more.
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© 2026 White Crane Arts & Media Trust | White Crane Films Pvt. Ltd.
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