During the 2006 World Cup qualifying match between Iran and Bahrain, numerous young women are caught and rounded up for dressing as men so they could gain access to the game. Guarded by several soldiers in a holding pen, the women attempt to keep updated on the score.
Direction
Panahi shot during the actual 2006 qualifier — real tension, real risk.
Writing
Dialogue so natural the actors barely needed scripts.
Acting
Non-professional cast, mostly women who lived this reality.
Director
Jafar Panahi
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The stadium ban for Iranian women stood from 1979 until 2019 — this film helped fuel international pressure.
Panahi was arrested during production and smuggled his footage out. The film's existence is itself an act of resistance.
IR
