Cutting Through Rocks

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Cutting Through Rocks

1h 34m

Documentary

Biography

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15 Reviews

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As the first elected councilwoman of her Iranian village, Sara Shahverdi aims to break long-held patriarchal traditions by training teenage girls to ride motorcycles and stopping child marriages. When accusations arise questioning Sara's intentions to empower the girls, her identity is put in turmoil.

Mohammadreza Eyni

Director

Sara Khaki

Director

Eyni Sara Khaki

Director

Mohammad Reza Eyni

Director

Eyni Sara Khaki

Producer

Mohammad Reza Eyni

Producer

A Photographic Memory

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Siddhant Adlakha

Variety

Despite feeling drawn-out, the doc features occasional bursts of visual panache that help emphasize its underlying story.

Feb 3, 2025

Full Review

Lauren Wissot

IndieWire

A deftly shaped work of cinematic nonfiction.

Rated: B

Jan 29, 2025

Full Review

Marya E. Gates

RogerEbert.com

Needless to say, Shahverdi is a badass.

Jan 28, 2025

Full Review

Marissa Hill

Shade Studios

Cutting Through Rocks is a moving portrait of one woman’s unyielding fight for equality, illustrating that even the smallest acts of resistance can catalyze something much greater.

Jul 30, 2025

Full Review

Aviva Dove-Viebahn

Ms. Magazine

An atmospheric film that fluctuates realistically between hope and strife, Cutting Through Rocks offers a dynamic slice-of-life portrait of the lives of women in rural Iran.

Jul 24, 2025

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Rachel Wagner

rachelsreviews.net

this documentary is quite eye-opening.

Mar 7, 2025

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Synopsis

As the first elected councilwoman of her Iranian village, Sara Shahverdi aims to break long-held patriarchal traditions by training teenage girls to ride motorcycles and stopping child marriages. When accusations arise questioning Sara's intentions to empower the girls, her identity is put in turmoil.

Director: Mohammadreza Eyni, Sara Khaki, Eyni Sara Khaki, Mohammad Reza Eyni
Producer: Eyni Sara Khaki, Mohammad Reza Eyni
Production Co: Gandom Films Production
Genre: Documentary, Biography
Original Language: Persian
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 21, 2025, Limited
Runtime: 1h 34m