The Islamic Revolution in 1978 changed the entire political structure in Iran. One consequence was new censorship rules which focused on excluding women from the public sphere. However, this did not stop Iranian women from making films.

Mahshad Afshar is an Iranian filmmaker in exile in the UK, and in this personal film essay she invites us into her little garden shed studio and guides us through a century of active resistance from Iranian women filmmakers.

Afshar examines the very fundaments of the Iranian film industry and its relationship with sociopolitical events in the country, and illustrates what challenges have faced women who have chosen to work within the film industry. Through a deep dive in archive materials, this documentary highlights what an essential part women have played in the history of Iranian cinema – and how they have used cinema to tell women’s stories, challenge traditions and sharia law, and to fight against the oppression of women in society as well as on screen.