Ali Mozaffari‘s short film, anchored by Tabassom Ostad’s performance as Romina, boldly tackles the clash between heritage and ambition. Inspired by Gustav Klimt’s defiant painting ‘Judith and the Head of Holofernes’, the film plunges into the depths of Romina’s struggle against both external oppression and her own inner demons.

Ostad mesmerizes as Romina, embodying the turmoil of a woman torn between traditional Iranian values and her fervent desire to pursue acting and love freely, notably with her Australian boyfriend (Rory O’Brien). The film’s opening, a slow, deliberate zoom out from Romina as Judith, is a masterstroke of visual storytelling, setting the stage for a narrative rich in symbolism and metaphor.

Alexander Naughton’s cinematography deserves applause for its poetic depiction of Romina’s emotional landscape, capturing every nuanced expression and atmospheric detail with cinematic skill. Meanwhile, Sal Galofaro’s portrayal of Romina’s father speaks volumes without uttering a single word.

Mozaffari forces viewers to confront the complexities of cultural clash and generational divide, compelling us to see both Romina’s yearning for self-expression and her lonely father’s deeply ingrained concerns for tradition and family honor. It’s a narrative that doesn’t offer easy answers but instead challenges us to reflect on the universal themes of sacrifice, identity, and the quest for understanding across generations. Highly recommended.