THE PERSIAN VERSION
Leila is an Iranian American woman who strives to find balance and embrace her opposing cultures. When her large family reunites in New York City for her father’s heart transplant, she keeps everyone at arm’s length — until a secret is revealed.
SYNOPSIS
Coming from two countries at odds with each other, Iranian-American Leila (Layla Mohammadi) strives to find balance and embrace her opposing cultures, while boldly challenging the labels society is so quick to project upon her. When her family reunites in New York City for her father’s heart transplant, Leila navigates her relationships at arm’s length in an effort to keep her “real” life separate from her family life. However, when her secret is unceremoniously revealed, so are the distinct parallels between her life and that of her mother Shireen (Niousha Noor). Punctuated by a bright color palette, snappy comedic relief, and vibrant dance numbers, The Persian Version delivers an honest portrayal of a woman who remains unapologetically herself, blended seamlessly into a heartfelt story about family, belonging, and the undeniable influence of pop music.
Winning both the Audience Award and the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, writer-director-producer Maryam Keshavarz delivers a universal and timely story of the Iranian and the Iranian-American experience.
Director
WITH
Layla Mohammadi, Niousha Noor, Kamand Shafieisabet, Bijan Daneshmand, Bella Warda, Chiara Stella, Tom Byrne, Shervin Alenabi
Run Time
1 hour, 47 minutes
Released
November 3, 2023
Distributed by
Sony Classics
HEARING AND VISUAL ASSISTANCE
Assisted Listening
Additional assistance options TBA
Country
United States
SUBTITLES
some Persian with English Subtitles
RATED R
for language and some sexual references
SHOWINGS
NOV 3 | FRI
4:50, 7:10, 9:30 p.m.
NOV 4 | SAT
12:10, 2:30, 4:50, 7:10, 9:30 p.m.
NOV 5 | SUN
12:10, 2:30, 4:50, 7:10 p.m.
NOV 6 | MON
4:50, 7:10 p.m.
NOV 7 | TUE
4:50, 7:10 p.m.
NOV 8 | WED
4:50, 7:10 p.m.
NOV 9 | THU
4:50, 7:10 p.m.
NOV 10 | FRI
7:30 p.m.
NOV 11 | SAT
12:10, 2:30, 4:50, 7:10 p.m.
NOV 12 | SUN
4:50, 7:10 p.m.
NOV 13 | MON
4:50, 7:10 p.m.
NOV 14 | TUE
4:50, 7:10 p.m.
NOV 15 | WED
4:50, 7:10 p.m.
NOV 16 | THU
4:50, 7:10 p.m.
REVIEWS
“Maryam Kesharvarz’s The Persian Version is an ebullient rule-breaker, and it does so in the name of the many women it wants to celebrate.”
“Kesharvarz uses family secrets, pop culture, and lived experiences to connect us to a full and sweet story of mothers, daughters, and womanhood.”
“The Persian Version is a film that is a visually colorful and vibrant celebration of how immigrant families traverse two cultures only to find that the real divides are often within our own families.”