Under the Shadow

9/19/2026

It's the 1980s and aspiring doctor "Shideh" (Narges Rashidi) has found that one of the side effects of the recent Iranian revolution is that she's been kicked out of medical school. They don't need women to be doctors, apparently, so just go home and bring up your daughter "Dorsa" (Mia Sinclair Jenness) whilst your husband "Iraj" (Bobby Naderi) does his bit on the front line of the war against Iraq. Aside from terrifying her for his safety, this also causes a degree of chagrin from "Shideh" as he happens to be a doctor, too. He advises them to quit Tehran and go and live with his much more traditional mother, but she isn't so keen on that idea so decides they will just stay at home. With the missiles and bombs landing all around them, the young "Dorsa" starts to miss her favourite doll, th