Joonam

The Old Young Crow

Japan/U.S., 2023

A captivating mix of live-action and animation brings to vibrant life the story of a young Iranian boy and a mysterious but inspiring encounter he had in a Tokyo cemetery.

DCP, color, in Persian and Japanese with English subtitles, 12 min. Director: Liam LoPinto. Screenwriter: Liam LoPinto. With: Naoto Shibata, Hassan Shahbazi, Keiko Yamashita.

Joonam

U.S., 2023

Director Sierra Urich’s Joonam, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023, weaves a beautiful and beguiling portrait of three generations of Iranian women living in the diaspora. Drawn to learn more about her family’s history, Urich documents conversations with her mother, Mitra, and her grandmother, Behjat, and reflects on their stories and memories to make sense of her own identity as a second generation immigrant raised in rural Vermont. Revelations poignant and painful transform their relationships to each other and themselves in a film that ever foregrounds the power of home.

DCP, color, in Azerbaijani, English and Persian with English subtitles, 100 min. Director: Sierra Urich.

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