Reading Lolita in Tehran

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Reading Lolita in Tehran

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1h 47m

Drama

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88%

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17 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

The screen adaptation of Azar Nafisi's beloved memoir tells the true story of a literature professor in revolutionary Iran who, amidst censorship and religious extremism, gathers seven of her most dedicated female students to immerse themselves in banned literary classics. A film by Eran Riklis starring Golshifteh Farahani (Paterson), Zar Amir (Holy Spider), and Mina Kavani (No Bears).

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Peyton Robinson

RogerEbert.com

4h

2.5/4

It loses its handle on its pacing and shows its hand far too often, but despite these formal missteps, it delivers a cross-cultural tale that is both timely and timeless.

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Ben Kenigsberg

New York Times

1d

A serviceable adaptation for the screen.

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Wendy Ide

Screen International

11/13/2024

This is a stirring, if conventionally-made story of courage and curiosity in the face of oppression.

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Al Alexander

Movies Thru the Spectrum

9h

B-

It glaringly lacks the urgency and engagement elicited by recent films such as "The Seed of the Sacred Fig" and "It Was Just an Accident." Absent that, it’s little more than a collection of incomplete pages bound to a threadbare spine.

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Jared Mobarak

Hey, Have You Seen ...?

9h

7/10

The film is allowed to be just effective enough to give life to the overall journey while also sparking your interest to dig into the text and experience the historical and emotional details left behind.

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Todd Jorgenson

Cinemalogue

12h

Divided into chapters, the film’s episodic structure only slightly inhibits its cumulative impact, thanks mostly to Farahani’s determination.

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Runa R

@runa.r Jul 15

This Israeli director – Eran Riklis – made this film in 2024, at the age of 69. It is set in Iran. Films of this kind tend to be made either by Iranian filmmakers in exile, or by Israelis or others considered enemies of the Iranian regime. One way or another, we continue to learn about the horrors inflicted on women in that country.

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Eran Riklis

Director

Golshifteh Farahani

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Zar Amir-Ebrahimi

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Mina Kavani

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Reading Lolita in Tehran: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

The screen adaptation of Azar Nafisi's beloved memoir tells the true story of a literature professor in revolutionary Iran who, amidst censorship and religious extremism, gathers seven of her most dedicated female students to immerse themselves in banned literary classics. A film by Eran Riklis starring Golshifteh Farahani (Paterson), Zar Amir (Holy Spider), and Mina Kavani (No Bears).

Director: Eran Riklis
Producer: Marica Stocchi, Gianluca Curti, Moshe Edery, Santo Versace, Eran Riklis, Michael Sharfshtein
Screenwriter: Marjorie David, Azar Nafisi
Distributor: Greenwich Entertainment
Production Co: Minerva Pictures, WestEnd Films, RAI Cinema, Eran Riklis Productions, Rosamont, United King Films, Topia Communications
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Persian
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 10, 2026, Limited
Runtime: 1h 47m