Directed by Sara Nodjoumi and Till Schauder (USA, 2023, 95 min.). Farsi and English with English subtitles.

With this bracing doc, Till Schauder and Sara Nodjoumi delve into the mystery surrounding the disappearance of more than 100 “treasonous” paintings by Nodjoumi's father, seminal Iranian modern artist Nicky Nodjoumi.

When the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art exhibited paintings by Nodjoumi shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, religious hardliners ambushed the work, sparking a family journey filled with art, survival, estrangement, and love. This hybrid political thriller and verité portrait illuminates the past 50 years of Iran’s political history through the lens of a censored and celebrated artist.

“A smart intersection of the political, personal, and artistic … fascinating family drama.” —RogerEbert.com