The Cinematheque

“[With] Wiseman-esque fly-on-the-wall observation … Kiarostami paints a kaleidoscopic, empathetic, and often humorous picture of the Afghans’ place in Iranian society and their reasons for leaving it.”

Charlotte Selb, Hot Docs

Over 2.5 million Afghans, many undocumented, have sought refuge in Iran since the Soviet–Afghan War. However, renewed US sanctions in 2018 deepened the recession in Iran and devalued the country’s currency, compelling many Afghan migrants to return home. Exodus, set in an immigrant processing centre, examines the bureaucratic processes faced by Afghan migrants attempting to leave Iran amidst economic collapse. Director Bahman Kiarostami (son of Abbas Kiarostami) captures the absurdity of the exit interviews, highlighting the migrants’ desperate yet hopeful narratives. The film resonates deeply in the current global context, where stricter immigration policies in North America and Europe, along with economic sanctions on countries in the Middle East and Africa, further complicate the plight of vulnerable populations. Exodus portrays the impact of political decisions on human life, navigating bureaucratic and geopolitical challenges in the pursuit of survival and hope.

In Farsi with English subtitles

Post-screening audience discussion moderated by PELAN.