Sohrab, a Journey

A portrait documentary about one of the most prominent pioneers of the Iranian modern cinema, Sohrab Shahid Saless. In 1969, a young man of 26 years of age returns to his country Iran after years of studying cinema and going through the hardship of living abroad as a university student. He does not want to become a filmmaker in the commercial and valueless cinema of that time, so he chooses a different and – of course – a very hard path for the making of his films. The result of the daring choice is the two features A Simple Event and Still Life, which are remembered today as the most important and most influential first examples of the formation of the Iranian modern cinema. The pioneer filmmaker is nobody but Sohrab Shahid Saless. But how he succeeded in the making of the unconventional films? And how are his films related to the vicissitude in his life?

Directed by Omid Abdollahi, Sohrab, a Journey leans on a strong ensemble — Sohrab Shahid-Saless, Mehdi Ahmadi — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2016.