A young Iranian singer, forbidden to perform in public, turns the street into her stage and becomes the voice of a silenced GenZ. Seti loves music and singing, and she yearns for her voice to be heard. But in Iran, it is against the law for women to perform in public, and so the young girl decides to engage in her own personal protest. The street becomes her stage, and random passers-by become her enthusiastic audience. Her star rises. Seti becomes an idol of her generation, of young people who no longer want to live under ruthless political oppression.

Director Soheil Beiraghi’s fourth film, produced independently, looks at life in contemporary Iran in a way that the local censors would never allow. His film fights for all those whose voice remains unjustly silenced.

“Unlike anything we are accustomed to seeing in Iranian cinema.” (Screen Daily)

Soheil Beiraghi, born in Shahreza/Iran in 1986, is an independent Iranian filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer known for his bold, socially-driven dramas. In 2016, he made his directorial debut with ME, which was well received by both critics and audiences. His second feature, COLD SWEAT screened at various international festivals – and his third feature UNPOPULAR was banned from public screening in Iran for over two years. In 2020, he founded Alef Pictures to support the production of independent films. BIDAD premiered at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, where it received the Special Jury Prize.

Filmography: 2016 ME, 2018 COLD SWEAT, 2020 UNPOPULAR, 2025 BIDAD

Awards: Special Jury Award (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Czech Republic 2025)

Nominated for the Amnesty International Wiesbaden Film Award for Best Film about Human Rights. A three-member expert jury will decide the winner of this competition.