It’s no wonder The Persian Version won the Audience Award at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. It’s the best kind of crowd pleaser, one with a big heart that’s loaded with good vibes and energy, but also one with a distinct storytelling style that brings the Iranian-American immigration experience to screen like never before.

Inspired by writer-director-producer Maryam Keshavarz’s own experience, The Persian Version puts the spotlight on Layla Mohammadi’s Leila, a young woman struggling to find a balance between the two cultures and also struggling to mend her relationship with her mother, Shireen, played by Niousha Noor. How does one embrace their truth and remain unapologetically themselves when society and family seem to demand they adhere to certain labels and expectations? Turns out, Shireen understands that predicament more than Leila ever realized.

With The Persian Version celebrating its big debut at Sundance, Keshavarz, Mohammadi, and Noor all swung by the Collider Studio presented by Saratoga Spring Water to discuss their experience bringing Keshavarz’s story to screen. Hear about how Mohammadi wowed Noor while headlining her first feature film, about the filmmaking technique that “terrified” Keshavarz, about what Mohammadi appreciated most about Noor as a scene partner, and so much more in this video interview!

Special thanks to our 2023 partners at Sundance including presenting partner Saratoga Spring Water and supporting partners Marbl Toronto, EMFACE, Sommsation, Hendrick’s Gin, Stella Artois, mou, and the all-electric vehicle, Fisker Ocean.

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