Reading Lolita in Tehran (2024)

[bunniefuu]

Please! Let me in! Let me in!

They lied to us! They lied to us!

They lied to us!

Let me in!

Azar Nafisi.

Born in Tehran, 1948.

Provisional Revolutionary

and Islamic Government of Iran

ENTRY 03 AUG 1979

Thank you.

Next.

I did my PhD there, in literature.

in literature.

English literature.

What's this?

A novel.

Its for a course at the university.

Im going to teach it.

Thats why my husband

and I came back.

My husband is a civil engineer.

A bit gentler, please.

Excuse me?

Go.

My heart, my love,

- My life

- Mom, I dore you.

- Youre so beautiful.

- Bijan...

Hello.

You can kiss now!

Welcome.

- Shall we?

- Lets go. Were in the way.

Faculty of Letters & Humanities

Death to America

Hello.

Professor Nafisi.

Mr. Bahri.

Good morning.

Hows your English doing?

Good.

Really?

Yes. Very observant. Very sensitive.

Congrats, Im impressed.

Take your seat.

Class will start soon.

Yes, of course.

Thank you.

Professor, I dont understand.

How can you say Gatsbys

in love with Daisy?

Clearly, hes in love

with the green dollars.

Daisy is just a symbol, thats all.

What use is love

in todays world?

We believe only in divine, holy love,

nothing else.

Right, so why did you

make a revolution?

Because we could...

I think I didnt understand.

It means we should doubt

the prohibition of adultery!

Youre saying change

is always bad?

Its not funny.

If laws are broken

while writing a story,

penalties must be invoked!

Whats funny about that?

Hes not referring to you, professor.

Sorry.

Some things should be

completely ignored.

You wont find a virtuous woman

in this entire story.

And this is supposed to be a role model

for our innocent, modest sisters.

The veil, you just want us

to wear a veil.

Try it.

What's the problem?

Listen, I dont like discussing

here what I wear.

What you like doesnt matter, because

soon it will be mandatory for all women.

How come only Nyazi

talks about morality?

He has no right to do so at all!

Look...

Forget it, no need to read

from the paper. Its not worth it.

I have enough evidence.

Every page of this book

shows how we were r*ped

by the Big Satan.

"They seek to deceive Allah and those

who have faith,

yet they deceive no one but themselves,

but are not aware"

The only interesting person in this story

is the defeated, spineless Mr. Wilson

who k*lled Gatsby.

And even that was Gods doing.

Not everything is Gods doing.

Do you really believe God is

meddling with our lives?

How can you use such a word?

"Meddling"?

Its not meddling.

God is observing our lives.

Declare this book banned!

You came and changed all the laws!

What law are you talking about?

- Back off.

- I wont back off!

- Your brain is rotten!

- My brain is rotten?

- Exactly!

- Shame on you!

- Theyre all rotten here!

- They want to close us down! Come out!

Let's go.

Freedom is our right!

Neither East, nor West!

Islamic university!

Samad is our teacher!

His way is our way!

Freedom is our right!

Did you see that?

Nassrin! Mahtab!

Let go! Im not going with you!

Maam! Lets go! Come this way!

This way.

Nassrin! Mahtab!

Professor Nafisi!

There was nothing you could do.

Thats one of my students!

Shes only seventeen!

Come in, come in!

- Quickly, quickly!

- Thanks Mohssen.

Stay away from the windows!

Nassiri Cafe

Thanks.

Im Azar. Nafisi.

I know you.

Arent you in the drama department?

I was.

Oh...

The play I chose wasnt approved.

So the writer must

have been immoral

No, this time the objection

came from the leftists.

Obviously, you must

study revolutionary works.

If that was so,

thered be something to discuss.

But I told them clearly,

my syllabus was non-negotiable.

Oh l l

I think we can go.

What will you do now

If you wont teach anymore?

I dont know.

Perhaps start the novel I

always wanted to write,

see what happens next

or do nothing at all.

You tell me what to do...

The tension at our border

with Iraq continues.

Tehran University continues

to witness student violence..

The continuous radical activity

on the campus

led to the arrest of over 40 students

However, the security forces refrained

from using force

against the agitators...

I called their parents.

I couldnt reach anyone.

They were probably taken to Evin prison.

I must go there.

Don't.

Im serious.

Their families are there.

Theres nothing you can do.

Youll just be on their radar.

Arent I already?

Bijan...

Stop! Stop hitting me!

That hurts!

Oh God! Stop!

Mama, please! Where are you?

Theyre k*lling me!

Enough, stop!

Emamzadeh.

Rahmati.

Rahimi.

Dont worry, be strong.

Go.

Go.

Evin House of Detention

Following a directive from our beloved

supreme leader Imam Khomeini,

the Parliament approved and passed

the Islamic Hijab Law,

making it compulsory for women

from the age of 9 to wear

the Hijab in public,

including all government institutions,

work places,

universities, schools...

Purify the curriculum

Administrative Revolution

Maam!

Your ID, please.

You know you cant go in like this.

Ive been going in "like this"

ever since I started teaching here.

Now you must cover your hair.

Im authorized to stop

any woman without a hijab.

Im not "any woman," Im a specific woman.

A professor at this university.

Its a written order from

the university president.

No woman can enter the

university without a hijab.

Maam...

You know whatll happen to me

if you go in like this?

As far as I know, were each

responsible for our own actions, no?

So, excuse me.

Youre kidding.

Maam, stop!

Forget it, man!

Maam!

Maam!

The adulterous wh*re Nafisi

should be expelled

Professor Nafisi?

Im sorry.

The university president wants

to talk to you.

I want you to know

that I sided with you.

Why?

Because womens role is essential

to the success of the Islamic Republic.

Our enemies within

and without must see

that men and women here are united.

And...

because of the books we read.

Wait, professor.

Please.

The survival of this revolution

is in danger...

Mr. Bahri.

My grandmother was the most

devout Muslim Ive ever known.

She always did

the dawn prayer on time.

She wore the veil because

she was a believer,

not as a symbol.

Religion and State

are not the same.

Not to her,

not to me.

Tell that to the president

of your university.

Hello.

Where to?

I have a meeting

with the university president.

What are you wearing underneath?

Almost nothing.

Why is that any business of yours?

Rub the muck off your face.

Theres nothing on my face

and I never put "muck" on.

Theres something.

- Maam, that hurts.

- Dont talk back!

Ill file a complaint against you.

Do whatever you damn want.

Go.

Fourth floor!

Fourth floor!

Did you imagine this could happen?

No, I didnt.

But I should have.

Whatll we do now?

Well go to sleep and tomorrow

well see what can be done.

Coming?

Yes, a bit later...

Mahtab...

Eight members of the reactionary

Forghan group were ex*cuted.

Mahtab Rahimi.

Hello.

I dont know why I decided to do this.

Its too risky.

Im putting all the girls in danger.

I should cancel it.

Right?

You cant.

What if someone finds out?

What if someone reports us?

My dear, they all know

this is forbidden and dangerous.

But just like you, they like the risk.

Thats exactly what scares me.

These women trust your courage.

Always have.

Exactly like when you

taught them at the university.

What if they dont show up?

They will.

Every Thursday.

Even if stones fall from the sky.

Trust me.

So now Ive reached the point

where I should trust you?

Thank you.

Im glad you called.

Im glad you answered.

Now go sleep for a while

before they arrive.

Sleep, I wish...

- Bless you.

-Talk soon.

Feeling better?

Yes.

Dont worry.

Negar! Dara!

- Want me to stay?

- Hurry up!

No.

I promised

thered be no men in the house...

Im sure it will be wonderful.

Listen to your grandma!

Negar, remember not to read

too fast the poem we learned.

Thank you, mom.

Dara, take your schoolbag.

Azar dear, please be very careful.

Dont worry.

Dara, eat your apple.

OK, Mama.

Bijan, Im sure youll get the project.

Following requests from the public and

the governments efforts,

the price of milk

Thank you.

There you go, Dad.

Thank you.

I should go.

There wont be any men there, right?

Mahshid and I are translating Islamic

texts into English.

We dont need men for that.

Take care.

Of course. Bye.

Bye.

Shes used to your absence.

She doesnt cry anymore.

Wouldnt you like a mother who

stays home with you?

Enough, Reza!

Mama will be back soon.

I still think its not fair.

Life isnt fair.

Maybe youre right. This isnt fair.

What? No.

How else will you become

the next Forough Farrokhzad?

"Everybody knows that you and I

looked through the oblique

crack of the wall

and saw the garden."

and saw the garden."

Hello Mahshid!

Hello.

Hello maam.

Hello.

Thanks for buying the flowers.

Hello.

Im so happy to see you.

-Me too. Whats up with you?

-Good.

-Its apartment three, right?

-Yes.

Are we the first ones here?

I dont know, why?

Do you know who else is coming?

Azin too?

You dont like her?

Not really.

I hope shes not invited.

But shes cool!

Shes been married three times!

We dont even have a boyfriend.

Theyre beautiful. Lovely.

Welcome, come in.

Did you find the place easily?

Please.

Look at the mountains.

Beautiful. Sublime.

- My husbands at work. Feel at ease.

- Thank you.

Thank you.

Nassrin dear, welcome.

You remember Mahshid.

Yassi is here too.

Your mother let us in.

Welcome.

These are from Nima and me.

He said, you ladies are very fortunate.

- How is he?

- Good.

Azin, my dear.

Am I late?

- No, dear.

- No, Im not late.

Come in, welcome.

Girls...

this is Sanaz, one of my best

students at Allameh University.

Hello.

- Nice to meet you.

- Have a seat.

Alright.

I was really worried that I might

have gotten you into trouble.

I hope your families dont mind

that youre here now.

"Something" was already in here...

Were all together.

Okay, so...

this "morality teacher" draws

two columns on the blackboard.

"Muslim girl" on one side

and "Christian girl" on the other.

Then he asks,

whats the difference between them?

"One is a virgin, clean and pure,

who keeps herself only for her husband.

She is powerful because shes modest."

Of course, modesty gives you a certain

amount of power.

- Like...

- Like what?

Not being a wh*re

who wears nail polish and sneakers?

No, no, I didnt mean it like that

I meant a person who is reserved.

Hello, Sanaz dear,

Hello.

Sorry Im late again. My brother insisted

on coming with me and then

We missed you last week.

- Did something happen?

- No.

Hello.

We missed you. Where were you?

Are you Okay?

Yes.

- Thanks.

- Girls, Sanaz brought us sweets.

Wow, theyre so "poshlost"...

Thats why you got them, right?

Since were reading Lolita, you wanted...

These are so good!

Theyre great, but...

Thank you.

Okay, girls.

Not all.

I, Sanaz Moghadam, confess to having

an illegitimate relationship with a man.

I broke Islamic law, betrayed my

familys honor and my self respect.

How do you escape the guilt?

They should be ashamed, not us.

How does that help?

They force you to confess to an offense

You didnt commit and say youve sinned.

But you havent sinned, Sanaz.

Repeat something a thousand times

and it starts to replace the truth.

Otherwise, why did they arrest you?

"Who were you with?

Who were those men?"

"You didnt drink alcohol?

What were you wearing?"

But they found nothing?

There was nothing to find.

So we accused of Western

cultural invasion.

And theyre right.

Theres no such thing

as a "thought crime."

Of course there is.

Even if I didnt commit a real crime,

I betrayed myself by confessing.

I betrayed us all.

I confessed.

I signed.

Sanaz left this behind.

They asked if they were Lolita.

And you said?

That shes a lonely, defenseless girl,

who endures r*pe because of a crazy adult

obsessed with his own past,

she loses her autonomy,

her future, her very self.

Thats precisely what the "bearded guy"

did to us here.

Novels are not interpretations

of our personal lives.

Why not? Of course they are.

Very often theyre exactly the same.

Those were the days.

I cant take hope away from them.

I know.

Wow!

Keep it.

Show it to your girls.

Where did you get this?

Ive had it for some time.

Bought it here.

Mr. Hamid always knew what I liked.

He once told me had

he known me before,

he wouldnt have sold his last copy

of Bunuels autobiography.

Sold it to me.

What a piece of work you are...

As far as I recall, somebody cleaned out

an entire shelf of Henry James...

But my dear...

you could have at least left me

The Golden Bowl.

Although nobody gets through

the whole book,

not even me...

Anyone who cant make it through

The Golden Bowl

doesnt deserve to own it...

You know what it is with my girls?

They have nothing to remember.

As adults, anyway.

No stroll in the park

with their lover.

No passionate phone calls

into the night

No stolen kisses.

I have to go.

Really?

The Islamic Republic rejected

the UN Resolution 598.

Our esteemed supreme leader,

Imam Khomeini,

posed two preconditions:

First, the removal of Iraqi President

S*ddam Hussein from power,

a demand made eight years ago,

when Iraq invaded our sacred land,

in September 1980...

Attention! Attention!

Ill get the kids! Go get my mother!

Negar! Dara!

Red Alert! Air Raid!

Alert!

Its nothing, its nothing...

Hossein Hossein is our slogan!

Martyrdom is our pride!

Hossein Hossein is our slogan!

Martyrdom is our pride!

Hossein Hossein is our slogan!

Martyrdom is our pride!

Hossein Hossein is our slogan!

Martyrdom is our pride!

Hossein Hossein is our slogan!

Martyrdom is our pride!

Hossein Hossein is our slogan!

Martyrdom is our pride!

We cant continue like this.

Look how much Ghomi respects

his martyred friends.

Death brought him to God, right?

They keep saying their

only love is God.

Be careful what you wish for...

Professor Nafisi, Im sorry,

but you didnt know him.

But we knew him.

A friend of ours

was expelled because of him.

He said he was aroused because

he saw some skin under her scarf

Go talk to her...

Hossein Hossein is our slogan!

Martyrdom is our pride!

Professor!

Yes, dear.

You say we should feel sorry

for these fanatics when theyre k*lled?

No, thats not the point.

No matter what they do,

we cant be like them. Understand?

Yes.

Sorry.

Nassrin.

I saw them take you away that day.

I know what they did to Mahtab.

Im sorry.

The worst for me was

when theyd call peoples names

in the middle of the night.

Each time they took three girls

and we would hear only two g*nshots.

Ahmadi!

It took an eternity

until we knew who survived.

Im glad you got out.

Thanks to my devout father.

Without him,

God knows where I would be.

For some girls

it was better to die.

There was this girl...

She wasnt even political,

she was just beautiful.

They passed her around

and r*ped her,

so she wouldnt be a virgin anymore

and wouldnt go to heaven

after they k*ll her.

They were careful not to touch us,

but raping was not a problem.

We talked a lot about books,

Mahtab and I.

That was really good.

A Pyrrhic victory.

- Join us!

- A Pyrrhic victory.

Let us pay respect to our dear brother

who sacrificed his life

for the sake of the Islamic Republic!

Professor Nafisi

Mr. Bahri...

Im okay, professor.

Much better than others, praise Allah.

Im happy to see you.

Me too.

I thought Id come to say hello.

I deserve that.

Youre sure you dont want to go?

Me? No

youll get more out of it.

7th Milad International Film Festival

I love Tarkovsky.

Yes, yes...

They really want to show this film?

I just want to know

what the censor did to it...

Written and Directed by

Andrei Tarkovsky

What was that?

Dont you know the censor is blind?

Unbelievable

Hossein Hossein is our slogan.

Martyrdom is our honor.

They lied to us!

They lied to us!

They lied to us!

Ghomi, what are you doing?

Ghomi locked himself in!

Go find the keys!

Ghomi! Ghomi!

Ghomi! Open the door

What are you doing?

Ghomi, please! Dont do it!

Here are the keys!

Open the door! Quickly!

Let me in.

Let me in, let me in!

Let me in.

Oh no, what has he done...

Hello.

Can I speak to Bijan Naderi?

Im his wife, thank you.

No, no need to disturb him..

Just tell him that I called.

Thank you.

You said you knew him?

Yes, a big shot in the

Muslim Students Association.

He never read the books,

yet he always had something to say.

He always talked about the w*r.

Finally, he went to the front.

He believed the w*r was

a blessing for everyone.

Because the w*r really

was a blessing for him.

Yes.

and then he came home

and saw that everyone was watching

the Oscars on their satellite dishes.

His world fell apart.

And so he decided.

He kept saying: "They lied to me."

"they lied to me."

He thought this through.

He brought jerrycans

through the university gate,

all the way to an empty class

he found on the second floor.

He sat and poured gasoline over himself.

I dont understand

how he could light the match.

I dont want to care about him, but

I wish I was stronger.

Azar dear, its not about being strong.

I cant teach anymore.

Because?

Because of everything.

My dear, giving up

isnt the right thing to do.

You know that very well.

What about you?

You gave up.

You gave up on everything.

I gave up a long time ago.

I contribute nothing.

Like a disembodied brain.

Why say such nonsense?

Its true,

and I dont mind it. Why should I?

I can teach private lessons, right?

Hello.

We were worried sick.

Why didnt you call?

I did, I couldnt reach you.

Mama, Grandma said

maybe you were arrested

Dont say such things

to the children, Mom.

But we didnt know what happened.

- Okay, but

- Youre not careful.

You keep going around

with that colleague of yours.

One day they might arrest you,

heaven forbid.

Go, go talk to him.

Its nothing, sweetheart,

Ill be right back.

Bijan,

it was a terrible day.

Thats why you went

to talk to him?

I called you first,

but I couldnt find you.

You must have wished

not to find me.

What are you talking about?

I just want to know

why you went to him, not to me

Simple question, simple answer.

I just told you why...

So its my fault!

No, its this cursed place we live in...

You cant blame everything

on the Islamic Republic.

- But...

- But what?

They again made another stupid rule

you dont like!?

Yes.

Yes, youre right. Its my fault.

I should have called again.

- Im sorry I made you worry.

- Mama, Dara took my books!

Dara, stop it!

Mama!

Hello?

I called you yesterday.

Your mother said you were ill.

Yes, I had a big fight with Bijan.

I need to apologize to him.

I was being childish.

I keep telling him the same thing

over and over.

You should stop me...

Either take this feeling out

of your system,

or take yourself out of the system.

Youre so clever

Obviously.

I know this isnt Somalia or Afghanistan.

I know it could be much worse.

Im so tired.

Get some rest, dear.

OK, dear.

See you.

The Dean

Faculty of Literature - Allameh University

Dear Sir, When I returned to Tehran,

I thought that teaching English

would be a sublime mission,

and so it was at first.

Today, for various reasons,

I cant keep doing this.

I hereby submit my resignation.

respectfully, Azar Nafisi

Goals were scored by Danaeifard

in the 13th minute

and Farrokhi in the 58th...

Thursday - 10am Azar Nafisi

Dad

I forgot my...

Thanks.

I should go, Im late.

Nassrin...

I dont want to lose you.

Be careful.

Dont worry.

I like Jane Austen,

but sometimes I feel

she makes everything too small.

What if you dont go?

Just this once.

Lets stay here together.

I dont know who you were talking about,

but men are like that.

Were supposed to marry them?

How can you spend a lifetime

with someone you dont know?

Is that why you never got married?

Stop this nonsense.

Stay home

and take care of your family.

Its one day a week! One day!

And shes asleep.

Its not about her.

You love your books more than us.

More than you!

No need!

Go take care of your stupid novels.

Go.

Ive never danced in my life.

Why are you blushing?

Im not really a man.

Shes embarrassed. So am I.

Nassrin! That was my foot.

We cant remember the steps

and talk and the same time.

Nobody can! Its really hard.

We got confused.

Men are weak, thats it.

Dont men and women get

married for sex?

Manna, youre married, you tell us.

The truth is, Nima is my best friend.

We have a deep, spiritual connection.

Poor Nima.

Hes not poor at all.

Anyway, he has no one else to talk to.

Men and women cant be friends.

Dont fool yourselves.

Its all good when the sex is good.

Otherwise...

Thats obvious.

Azin dear...

He hates me.

You cant let him beat you.

No?

If I leave,

hell take away my daughter

and have his mother raise her.

I cant let that happen.

So why do you keep getting married

again and again?

Maybe she makes the wrong choices.

No, no, look,

even Azin knows the difference

between higher love

and something earthbound

like sleeping together.

"Even Azin"?

No, I didnt mean it like that...

Professor Nafisi,

I think about sex a lot.

Of course

Is it only me? You dont?

So only Im crazy?

No, dear,

its only natural. Youre young

and you should think about these things.

Okay, girls, what dances would

you say define our society?

Baba Karam.

You dance?

Its easier than walking like poles.

A step here, a step there...

- So you do dance...

- Come to the center!

Surely youre happy to show us!

Oh lady

Oh lady

Oh lady

Sit on your knees...

Make a fuss, dear...

Move your body gracefully

My heart is overflowing

like a spring...

My heart is overflowing

like a spring...

My beautiful girl, my flower.

My bud girl, my flower.

My alley girl, my flower.

From alley to alley, my flower.

Be cute, my flower.

Because of this cuteness and charisma.

Make a fuss dear

Make a fuss...

My heart is overflowing

like a spring...

My heart is overflowing

like a spring...

Oh lady,

Oh lady,

Sit on your knees.

Make a fuss, dear

because of this cuteness and charisma.

My heart is overflowing like a spring

Whats that?

Is there something you dont know?

Not me, the girls.

They know nothing.

I guess its not surprising.

This book came out in the 70s,

even American women were confused.

You didnt seem confused at all

in America, as far as I remember...

In our culture, love and feelings

are segregated from sex.

Do you segregate sex

from love as well?

Not me.

You know I had a lot

on my mind lately.

Can you put it

aside for a minute?

Want to talk to me

about your nightmares?

Theyve been going on for so long,

why talk about them now?

Something is eating you inside.

Its important for me

to talk about it.

Its not easy to speak about

these things. You know that.

And you wont remember anyway.

Listen, I dont care if you share

your anxieties with someone else.

You have every right to talk

to any friend you like.

Im just afraid of losing you.

Losing me?

- Because of him?

- Because of who then?

Because of a thousand other things.

Azins husband hit her and

bruised her face last week.

She cant divorce him. She says

hell take her daughter away from her.

There are solutions for these things.

I can get her a lawyer.

Bijan, you dont need to find a solution.

Youre so naive,

you think everything

can be solved with logic

and good will.

Of course it can.

Governments come and go.

Were the ones who stay.

This is our country.

- I love Iran.

- I love Iran too.

How amazing

So this is on you?

No, no, wait, wait.

What a reward!

Excellent!

Azar dear, its perfect!

How did it get to Tehran?

After the revolution,

I showed a journalist

from New York around Tehran

and he gave it to me when he left.

And now youre giving it to me?

I couldnt find anyone better than you...

And I was cleaning out my library...

Just checking what I really need,

and dont need.

Youre leaving?

No, where can I go?

My mother is old.

Bijan just got a contract

to build a park in Isfahan.

But youre thinking about it.

Azar, listen.

If you want to go, go.

With your family, of course.

You have every right

to achieve what you want.

But how can I desert you

and leave you here without me?

Waiter! Come here!

Yes?

Were here to take a look.

Ill tell the manager.

Go.

The Militia. Theyre checking everyone.

If youre not related,

its better to sit at separate tables.

If they ask why youre together,

youre waiting for an

order of pastries. okay?

What are you doing?

Weve done nothing wrong!

Ill call Bijan,

he has no problem with this.

And then what?

Theyll say

hes not in control of his wife.

I refuse to obey senseless orders.

Dont move!

If you dont want to pay the bill,

find a better excuse.

Seriously

Nassrin, leave the dishes,

come sit here for a sec.

I have to tell you something.

Sit down.

Its okay.

Is it important?

My sister lives in England.

Im going to live with her

and her husband.

Im leaving.

Im leaving Iran.

Just like that...

How are you leaving?

With smugglers.

They wont give me a passport,

because I was in prison.

Smugglers? Alone?

How will you do that?

Once I get to Turkey,

my brother-in-law will pick me up.

Prison, w*r...

That period was really hard for me.

I have...had a boyfriend.

It didnt help...

Why are you surprised?

Anyway, it ended.

And I wanted to be left alone.

I have some problems,

from my time in prison.

Me and my mother both think

Ill be better off in England.

Thats why you broke up

with your boyfriend?

Yes...

No, actually...

he was a very good man.

An intellectual.

He read Derrida and watched films

by Kiarostami and Bergman.

But...

I didnt like the way

he thought about women.

Not that he was rude or anything.

But I saw how he looked

at other women.

He wouldnt touch me.

He said...

it was out of respect.

Because some women

they want for marriage

and some just for sex.

So youre leaving.

Im thirty-five

and I still dont know what love is.

We didnt hear from her for a week,

but thank God,

last night her father told me

she reached the border two days ago.

Smugglers will take her

across the mountains next week.

Take her, how? On a mule?

Like Sally Field in

Not Without My Daughter?

You think its funny?

Sorry. I dont know what to say.

- How about saying nothing?

- Manna dear

sometimes its hard to

know how to react.

But why?

We all know why, but why now?

She said it was the right time.

I wish shed at least say goodbye.

Sometimes thats too painful.

This class will be over soon anyway.

Nassrin got the message.

You got it into her head.

The idea that we should all leave.

Me?

I never said that. I never will.

You didnt have to.

The subtext was:

Get out of Iran.

Yassi! Why are you putting words

in the professors mouth?

If you feel trapped living

here, just say so.

Fine. I feel like Im in a cage, okay?

So why blame others?

The professor didnt start the revolution.

Certainly, this revolution is not

the one we wanted.

I always said that each of us

must decide for herself.

You set up the model for us,

That staying here is useless.

We should leave if we want

to make something of ourselves.

Im still here.

Im sorry if you somehow

got the wrong impression.

I dont think thats fair.

Yes, its not fair. We all think so.

This is the truth,

you stopped teaching at university.

And started this class.

Girls!

Youre exaggerating!

No, Im glad youre speaking up.

The truth is...

Im thinking about leaving too.

But...

my life is here.

Bijans work is here.

My mother is getting old.

It's been years since I slept

without having the worst nightmares.

I know that you have

the same problem too.

I think to myself that

I just want to feel comfortable.

But then I wonder,

what does feeling comfortable mean?

What if we get used to living like this?

I got used to feeling nauseated and dizzy.

But without feeling like this,

what kind of person am I?

And if I cant let go

of this feeling,

how can I stay here?

- What are you doing?

- Where are the walnuts?

Where are the walnuts?

Did you eat them all?

Where are the walnuts?

Here, theyre here.

Bijan...

Say something.

Say what?

Say something to calm me down.

Say you want to leave this place.

It wont stay like this.

We wont live forever.

The fact that we go on represents...

Represents what?

I dont want to represent anything.

I just want to be comfortable to live.

Dont you live?

Of course not!

Dont you see?

Im transparent, I dont exist!

What are you talking about?

Bijan, they took everything away

from me.

Everything!

Wait.

Listen to me for a minute.

Look, this is me.

This is you.

Were real.

The only thing thats real.

I built this house for us, for our family.

Nobody can touch us here.

Yes, and its wonderful.

But what happens when were outside?

Do you want to raise your daughter,

your Negar, in this ruined place?

What will Dara think about women?

What kind of man will he be?

He wont be like that,

Dara is my son,

Im not that kind of a person.

Bijan, this is the water we swim in.

These kids know nothing else.

I know its hard for you to leave behind

your home, your work, everything, and go.

But were a family.

Ultimately, Im making the decision

for all of us.

Kids dressed, fed, off to school.

Rest. Call if you need anything.

Love, B.

Manna was right, wasnt she.

I wont be surprised if you all leave.

And you?

Me?

Never.

Maybe Im just stubborn.

All these years,

I really loved your classes.

I enjoyed every moment.

Even if they thought Im an

old maid.

- No one thought so

- Of course they did.

I didnt care.

I was veiled long before

it became mandatory.

I was a believer. Devout.

I took pride in that.

Now I dont know anymore.

Dont cry.

Iran is in love again

Mohammad Khatami for President

In love again

Unbelievable...

If they lose faith in the future,

they wont survive.

Theyll survive,

but they wont want to stay.

But these are my problems alone.

I hope youll keep me posted.

I wont be doing that, my friend.

Call it self-defense, cowardice,

lack of courage. Whatever you want.

I dont want to be in touch

with someone who got it

together to get out of here.

Youre the one who encouraged

me to leave.

Why cut me off?

Because these are my rules.

Far from the eye, far from the heart.

Oh God...

Stupid rules...

Such a string of cliches...

Most rules are.

Dont look upset.

When you get to America,

write about me in your book too.

Who said Ill write about myself?

I want to write about Jane Austen.

And you think you can do that?

Without writing about us?

Jane Austen has nothing to do

with me and you.

No one can tell your story but you.

You should go live your life,

write your book.

In any case, youll leave Iran,

but Iran will never leave you.

Its nothing Bijan, sleep.

Sleep.

- Mom...

- Good morning, Negar dear...