Iran on Screen: Everyday Life, Culture, and Change

What can movies tell us about a society beyond the headlines? Iranian cinema is internationally celebrated for its distinctive storytelling, but it also offers a rich window into the textures of everyday life. In this three-session course, we will explore how filmmakers portray family, social class, urban life, celebrity culture, generational change, humor, aspiration, and the complexities of ordinary human relationships.

Through selected films and film clips, including A Separation, Pig, and Atomic Heart, we will encounter Iran not simply as a subject of politics and international headlines, but as a diverse and changing society. Each session will combine film analysis, cultural context, and guided discussion to examine the dramas, absurdities, tensions, and pleasures of contemporary life in Iran.

No previous knowledge of Iranian cinema, Iran, or the Middle East is required. The course is designed for anyone interested in film, culture, and understanding society through cinema.