Since its inception in 2009, the Edinburgh Iranian Festival has always aimed to build a greater understanding of the rich history and vibrant culture of the people of Iran. Building on the success of previous festivals, this ninth festival takes place from 6 – 12 March 2020 and incorporates a dedicated and now annual Iranian Film Season at Filmhouse as part of the larger biennial Festival.

This year’s theme for the Iranian Film Season is ‘Gender and Freedom of Movement in Iranian Society’ for which we’ve curated an extraordinary line-up of feature films, documentaries, and shorts, replete with post-screening conversations with the filmmakers followed by audience Q&As.

In stories dealing with gender, sexuality, and social and cultural boundaries, this theme of freedom of movement allows audiences a glimpse into the ways men and women negotiate and move between public and private spaces in Iranian society.

We would like to thank all of our sponsors for supporting the festival as well as our incredible volunteers and the festival’s organisational team for their time and effort.