No One Knows About Persian Cats (Kasi az gorbehayeh irani khabar nadareh)

Spun from Tehran’s underground rock and heavy metal music scene, this drama is based on the true story of a musical duo recently released from prison for playing banned music. Their efforts to organize an illicit farewell concert and also obtain black market visas push them further underground. Vibrant performances by rap group Hichkas, jazz-inspired Rana Farhan, and electric blues band Mirza set the tone of this “love/hate letter to Tehran itself” (Screen Daily), which won a Special Jury Prize at Cannes. Afterward, the director (now based in Berlin) was arrested—just as journalist Roxana Saberi, who produced and cowrote the film—had been months earlier. 2009, 35mm, 101 minutes.