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Like many young women around the world, Nessa dreams of becoming a famous actress and choosing her own destiny. After years of puppetry and minor parts, she finally lands a major role, but in the conservative Kurdish city of Kermanshah, Iran, Nessa’s independence means shame for her family. While her father reluctantly admires her self-sufficiency, her brother’s macho pride incites him to violence when attempts to control his sister fail. Nessa begins showing up late and rattled for rehearsals, facing the wrath of her colleagues as well. A tinge of Kiarostami colours this dramatic cinéma vérité portrait when director Loghman Khaledi becomes implicated in the family conflict; originally from Kermanshah himself, Nessa sees in him the freedom she craves. But however determined Nessa is to escape society’s constraints, she’s painfully aware of the line she cannot cross without losing her family’s love completely. Gisèle Gordon