Key Facts

• Laleh Marzban won best actress in the Orizzonti competition at the Venice Film Festival.
• Her film, Falling House, is about women trapped by their family’s father in a patriarchal household.
• In her acceptance speech, Marzban dedicated her award to Iranian women paying a high price for freedom and encouraged hope.
• Iran’s Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution condemned her speech as a “one-sided narrative.”
• State media called her hypocritical and urged the government to restrict her work or keep her out of Iran.
• The film and speech highlight ongoing struggles for women’s rights in Iran.
• The reaction mirrored criticism of other films addressing political and social issues in the region.
• Marzban expressed hope that her actions would inspire others to take small steps toward progress.