Sara Shahverdi — a divorced, motorcycle-riding former midwife — is an unlikely leader in her conservative northwestern Iranian village. As the first woman ever elected to the local council, she’s determined to break the cycle of empty promises and complacency passed down by the men who came before her.
Fierce and unapologetic, Sara pushes for bold reforms, fighting her most difficult battles on behalf of the village’s girls and women. From teaching teenage girls to ride motorcycles, to challenging child marriage, to advocating for female land ownership, she openly defies patriarchal norms. But when her efforts spark backlash and accusations about her motives, Sara must confront not only her critics – but also her own sense of identity.
Cutting Through Rocks received the World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2025. Other accolades include Wide Angle Audience Award at Visions du Rèel, Jean-Loup Passek Award for Best International Documentary at MDOC, the Gex Doc Best Documentary Award at Giffoni Film Festival, Best Documentary and Audience Awards at New Zealand Film Festival, and a Humanitas Prize nomination.