Women Without Men (2009)
"Zanan-e bedun-e mardan" (original title)

Against the tumultuous backdrop of Iran's 1953 CIA-backed coup d'état, the destinies of four women converge in a beautiful orchard garden, where they find independence, solace and companionship.

Directors:

Shirin Neshat, Shoja Azari

Writers:

Shoja Azari, Shirin Neshat (screenplay),

Stars:

Shabnam Toloui, Pegah Ferydoni, Arita Shahrzad

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Shabnam Toloui	...	Munis
Pegah Ferydoni	...	Faezeh
Arita Shahrzad	...	Farrokhlagha
Orsolya Tóth	...	Zarin
Mehdi Moinzadeh	...	Sarhang
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Navíd Akhavan	...	Ali
Mina Azarian	...	Zinat
Bijan Daneshmand	...	Abbas
Rahi Daneshmand	...	Soldier
Salma Daneshmand	...	Guest
Shahrnoush Parsipour	...	Madame
Farhad Payar	...	Officer
Fadwa Taleb
Tahmoures Tehrani	...	Sadri
Essa Zahir	...	Amir Khan

Storyline

Against the tumultuous backdrop of Iran's 1953 CIA-backed coup d'état, the destinies of four women converge in a beautiful orchard garden, where they find independence, solace and companionship.

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Plot Keywords:

iran | coup d'état | prayer | listening to radio | prostitute | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site [hu]

Country:

Germany Austria France Italy Ukraine Morocco

Language:

Persian English

Release Date:

12 March 2010 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Women Without Men

Filming Locations:

Casablanca, Morocco

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$14,404 (USA) (9 April 2010)

Gross:

$175,995 (USA) (11 June 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Essential Filmproduktion GmbH, Coop99 Filmproduktion, Société Parisienne de Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min 95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

The Azan that we hear through the film is Moazzenzade Ardabili's version which was recorded in 1955 while this movie takes place in 1953.

User Reviews

tasteful, beautifully shot, well-meaning drama

Women Without Men is the debut feature from 'visual artist'-turned- director Shirin Neshat, well known for her artistic works exploring gender relations. It is the adaptation of the 1989 novel of the same name by Shahrnush Parsipur, which was banned by the Iranian government in the 1990s for its outspoken depiction of female oppression.

Women Without Men is a tasteful, beautifully shot, well-meaning drama with some excellent performances and strong story set in a fascinating period in Iranian history. It's let down a little by its tendency to rely on clichés and convenience when it comes to character, but still an extremely enjoyable take on female independence and the intertwining lives of these four women. LB