The Sealed Soil

Sunday, 14 June 2026, 1.00 pm

Drama | Iran 1977 | 91 mins.
Directed by: Marva Nabili
Starring: Flora Shabaviz

Eighteen-year-old Roo-bekheir refuses to marry – a sign of demonic possession for her family and the village. In “The Sealed Soil”, Marva Nabili explores female self-determination, social pressure and the limits of individual freedom in 1970s Iran.

The film was interpreted as a critical parable on the country’s stalling modernisation and was never allowed to be shown in Iran. Marva Nabili smuggled the original negative to the USA, where she completed the film – which had initially been shot without sound – and added dubbing and sound design.

Internationally, “The Sealed Soil” was acclaimed by critics and is now regarded as a milestone in Iranian film history: It is only the second feature film ever to have been made in Iran by a female director. For a long time, no screenable copy was available; it was not until 2025 that a restored version was produced.

With an introduction.

Admission €8.75

Regie

Saeed Nouri (*1974 in Teheran) studierte Film in Teheran, gründete 2014 das Wings of Desire Institute, promovierte in Frankreich, drehte Kurz- und Dokumentarfilme, forschte zu iranischen Filmemachern, und sein aktueller Film feierte 2025 in Rotterdam Weltpremiere.

Trailer