SHAYDA
Duration: 118 mins
Director: Noora Niasari
Cast: Jillian Nguyen, Leah Purcell, Mojean Aria, Osamah Sami, Rina Mousavi, Selina Zahednia, Zar Amir-Ebrahimi
Language: English, Farsi with English subtitles
Cannes Best Actress winner Zar Amir-Ebrahimi (Holy Spider, MIFF 2022) anchors this Sundance Audience Award–winning portrait of a mother seeking a new life for herself and her daughter.
Shayda, a brave Iranian mother, finds refuge in an Australian women’s shelter with her six-year-old daughter. Over Persian New Year, they take solace in Nowruz rituals and new beginnings, but when her estranged husband re-enters their lives, Shayda’s path to freedom is jeopardised.
“Powerful … The greatest asset of Shayda is its unmistakably feminine spirit of perseverance, one that runs wild and free in this promising debut.” – Variety
Viewer Advice: Contains stroboscopic imagery; strong impact domestic violence themes; discussion of sexual violence.
