The Orion

A gripping psychological drama fully financed by director Zamani Esmati and daringly shot on the streets of modern-day Iran with no permits, THE ORION is the desperate story of a young woman and her helpless situation in a traditional Muslim society. Elham is an intelligent, educated student who inadvertently becomes pregnant after having an affair with Amir, the professor she has fallen in love with. But when Amir reveals that he has no intention of marrying her, Elham is forced to take precarious steps in order to maintain her viability as a potential mate. With the help of two old friends, Amir sets up a surreptitious meeting with a backstreet doctor who offers to solve their problem; but will they be able to go through with it? A reflection on the repressive treatment of women in Iran, Esmati's film questions how a society can neglect the inherent injustice of a tragic story such as Elham's. Intense and suspenseful, THE ORION is shot in real-time, successfully creating a lingering feeling of dread and trepidation throughout. (In Persian with subtitles) – M.M.