Iranian woman’s dreams about space travel take shape in Danish doc

TEHRAN,Nov.29(MNA)--Danish filmmaker Berit Madsen directed a documentary about Sepideh Hushyar, a young Iranian woman who dares to plan for her future as an astronaut. The documentary entitled “Sepideh” was screened at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) on Monday. It was filmed by Iranian cameraman Mohammadreza Jahanpanah. At night, Sepideh, who lives in Saadatshahr in the southern Iranian province of Fars, stares up at the universe, and she is taking lessons from a space devotee who teaches schoolchildren about astronomy. At home, filled with hope and longing, she watches films of Iran’s first female astronaut, Anousheh Ansari. So it is possible! When her father died suddenly six years ago, Sepideh discovered that she could feel closer to him by watching the stars. And so her dream was born, but not everyone appreciates her boundless ambition. After all, becoming an astronaut is not exactly a normal goal for a young woman in Iran, particularly because she has no money to pay for university and beyond. Her mother and uncle are worried about the emancipated young woman. She doesn’t want to learn to cook, hardly ever visits her family and doesn’t seem to be thinking about marriage at all. The documentary follows this brave young Iranian woman as she watches the stars, as well as at school, in the mosque and at home, where tensions steadily rise. It also explores just how much at odds her dreams are with her current reality and the expectations of those around her. Fortunately, Sepideh is able to express all her thoughts, dreams and cares in the letters she writes to her hero, Albert Einstein.