Women engaging in dance, song, and the symbolic act of burning their hijabs symbolize acts of resistance that define the debut feature film “My Stolen Planet” by an Iranian filmmaker. Following its premiere in the Panorama section of the Berlinale and securing a second place Audience Award, the film is now in contention for the Golden Alexander at the Thessaloniki International Doc Fest.
Before embarking on this feature project, Sharifi crafted eight short films while serving as an editor for documentaries, including the award-winning “Radiograph of a Family” by Firouzeh Khosrovani at IDFA.
Presented in an essayistic diary style, “My Stolen Planet” juxtaposes the exuberance and joy with the structured oppression in Tehran, utilizing the director’s personal archives and 8mm footage of strangers’ lives. The film is a production of Anke Petersen and Lilian Tietjen from JYOTI Film, with Farzad Pak from PakFilm as a co-producer, known for his involvement in Mohammad Rasoulof’s Golden Bear-winning film “There Is No Evil.” CAT&Docs oversees the film’s global distribution.
In an interview with Variety, Sharifi explains that the film’s title metaphor stems from the dichotomy of existence in Iran: “There’s their planet and then there’s our planet.”
Born in 1979 during Iran’s Islamic revolution, the filmmaker has been exposed to narratives of a divergent society and life. The delineation between “you” and “they” plays a pivotal role in her portrayal of the situation, where differing values and perceptions of history create a stark divide.
For Iranian women and filmmakers like Sharifi, the interplay between remembering and forgetting holds significant importance, often manifested through old photographs and archival footage that serve as a direct link to the past.
Sharifi’s documentary weaves personal anecdotes with historical footage, capturing the essence of pre-revolutionary times and the contemporary struggles for women’s rights in Iran. The film serves as a time-capsule, bridging generations of Iranian women through shared experiences and collective memories.
Despite the challenges of navigating personal and political narratives within the film, Sharifi remains committed to authentically portraying the stories of women in Iran. The documentary reflects her deep connection to history and archives, viewing them not merely as relics of the past but as integral parts of her identity and existence.