The Iranian drama Bidad is set to have its world premiere at the 59th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF) on July 9, but the film arrives under extraordinary circumstances. Days before the premiere, its director Soheil Beiraghi revealed that several members of the production team have been sentenced to prison and fines by Iranian authorities for their work on the project.
Beiraghi, who also wrote, produced, and edited the film, made the announcement on Instagram, IranWire reports. The director stated that Iranian authorities brought charges including “propaganda against the Islamic Republic,” “producing vulgar content,” and “encouraging behavior contrary to public decency.”
The punishments come in response to Bidad’s portrayal of a young woman who defies the country’s longstanding ban on female solo vocal performances. The news underscores the risks faced by filmmakers working independently in Iran—particularly those whose work challenges cultural or religious norms.
A secret production in protest
Bidad, which means Outcry in Persian, tells the story of Seti, a young Iranian woman who dreams of singing in public—an act forbidden to women in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Seti turns Tehran’s streets into her stage, singing for passersby and inspiring a younger generation disillusioned with Iran’s restrictions on artistic freedom.
Beiraghi reportedly made the film without state approval, knowing its subject matter would be rejected by Iranian censors. The project was shot and edited independently, with cast and crew working under constant threat of surveillance and legal reprisal.
According to KVIFF, even after the film was completed, Beiraghi and his team remained at risk. The festival withheld the announcement of Bidad’s inclusion in its prestigious Crystal Globe Competition until the filmmakers could safely leave Iran.
The film’s cast includes Sarvin Zabetian in the lead role, with Leili Rashidi, Amir Jadidi, and Peyman Shadmanfar among the ensemble. Beiraghi’s Alef Pictures produced the film and is handling international sales. KVIFF artistic director Karel Och emphasized both the film’s political significance and its artistic merit.
“We were blown away, not just by the political aspect of the film and the courage of the filmmakers to go that far […] but also by how it’s made,” Och told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s a really well-made film that has the potential to talk to people all around the world.”
Censorship, risk, and the struggle for expression
The Iranian government has long imposed strict controls over film content, particularly when it comes to depictions of women or criticism of the regime. Women have been banned from singing solo in public for more than four decades. Bidad is part of a wave of independent Iranian cinema that pushes back against these limitations, often at great personal cost.
Beiraghi himself has previously faced censorship. His 2018 feature Cold Sweat, which also spotlighted a woman’s struggle against patriarchal restrictions, was barred from public screening in Iran. His continued focus on female protagonists resisting institutional barriers has made him a key figure in Iran’s socially conscious cinema movement.
In his recent Instagram statement, Beiraghi did not clarify the duration of the prison sentences or identify which specific crew members were targeted.
However, according to Hrana News Agency, in a story filed after Beiraghi’s post, the director was sentenced for more than four years in prison for “encouraging corruption” and “producing obscene content,” though both sentences were converted to fines.
Lead actress Zabetian reportedly received a 91-day prison sentence, suspended for five years, during which time she is prohibited from using a mobile phone. Co-star Rashidi also received a 91-day prison sentence, which was converted into a fine. Three other filmmakers involved with the movie were acquitted of wrongdoing.
