Film Screening: "The Friend’s House Is Here" and Q&A with filmmakers Maryam Ataee and Hossein Keshavarz
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Iranian cinema has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years, particularly in the aftermath of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protest movement in Iran. Long-standing censorship rules that once dictated form and content in Iranian films are increasingly being ignored or challenged, ushering in a new era of independent cinema coming out of Iran. This has resulted in a wave of films that are pushing the boundaries of creativity and expression more than ever before.
The Friend’s House is Here, by Iranian-American filmmakers Maryam Ataee and Hossein Keshavarz, follows two young women determined to carve out a life of freedom, creativity, and sisterhood against the backdrop of contemporary Tehran. But when their insular artistic bubble is exposed, they must fight to protect themselves and one another. Filmed entirely in secret in Iran in collaboration with a variety of underground artists, the film explores creativity and community in contemporary Iran while blurring the line between reality and performance. Sundance programmers describe it as “a rare film audiences aren’t often gifted — one that reflects the softness and humanity of the Persian populace, a mass of passionate young artists for whom expression is an ultimate form of freedom.”
The Friend’s House is Here was filmed in Tehran in the summer of 2025 around the time of the Israel-U.S. attacks on the country. Both Keshavarz and Attaee fled to Turkey, having to put production on holdfor several weeks, but later returned to complete the film that summer. It premiered in January 2026 at the Sundance Film Festival, winning the US Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast and is slated for a wider release this fall.
The film screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and preceded by a reception, providing students and faculty members the opportunity to speak with the filmmakers one-on-one.
Campus-only event.