UW Cinematheque | Beautiful City (Shahr-e Ziba) (2003)

After spending two years in juvenile detention for killing his girlfriend as a teenager, the troubled, young Akbar is transferred to an adult facility shortly after turning 18. No longer a minor, his death sentence will soon be legally carried out. Meanwhile Akbar’s sister Firoozeh and his pal Ala set out to convince the victim’s bereaved father to forgive Akbar, which could potentially reduce his sentence from death to life in prison. Navigating the complexities of Iran’s judicial system together, the two form a close bond in their desperate attempts to seek clemency before it is too late. Farhadi’s second feature is a “well-acted [and] compelling human drama,” (The Hollywood Reporter). (FM)