In 2007, Reyhaneh Jabbari, 19, is sentenced to death in Iran for the murder of a man who tried to rape her. The efforts her family and supporters undertake open a window into the mass oppression and silencing of women in Iran, and the risks taken by those who defend and support them.
Tehran, July 2007: Reyhaneh Jabarri, 19, has a business meeting with a new client. When he locks her in the apartment and attempts to rape her, she reacts in self-defense by stabbing him. Later that day, she is arrested for murder, and her trial results in a death sentence. Using secretly recorded videos provided by Reyhaneh’s family, their testimonies, and the beautiful, lyrical letters written by Reyhaneh from prison, voiced by Holy Spider actress Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Seven Winters in Tehran opens a window into the many ways women are oppressed and silenced in Iran, and the immense risks taken by those who defend and support them. This energizing documentary not only highlights the women’s efforts behind this case, but also shows a truly incredible figure in Reyhaneh, who became a symbol of resistance and women’s rights worldwide.
Winner, Compass-Perspektive-Award, Berlinale 2023
