Shayda

An Iranian mother and daughter seek refuge in an Australian women's shelter, in director Noora Niasari's celebrated debut feature.

Shayda (Zar Amir Ebrahimi), a brave Iranian mother, finds refuge in an Australian women’s shelter with her six-year-old daughter Mona (Selina Zahednia). Over Persian New Year, they take solace in Nowruz rituals and new beginnings, but when her estranged husband re-enters their lives, Shayda’s path to freedom is jeopardised.

Curator's note

At a time when there are female-led protests in Iran demanding greater freedoms for women, Noora Niasari's assured debut feature film makes essential viewing. On one hand, the film taps into this zeitgeist, but on the other, the film is a profoundly personal story of a mother and daughter navigating an unfairly dangerous path.

Shayda premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival where it received the Audience Award in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition. The film has since been selected as Australia's official submission to the 96th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film.

– Reece Goodwin; Curator (Film & TV)