THE STORY – As the first elected councilwoman of her Iranian village, Sara Shahverdi aims to break long-held patriarchal traditions by training teenage girls to ride motorcycles and stopping child marriages. When accusations arise questioning Sara’s intentions to empower the girls, her identity is put in turmoil.
THE CAST – N/A
THE TEAM – Sara Khaki & Mohammadreza Eyni (Directors/Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 94 Minutes
Documentaries give the audience a window into the lives of people they would never have known existed. People who light the spark of hope for their communities, much like the subject at the center of Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni’s film, “Cutting Through Rocks.” Told with poignancy and beautifully shot by Eyni, the film follows Sara Shahverdi, the first elected councilwoman in her Iranian village, and her courageous fight to challenge entrenched patriarchal norms. Her journey of breaking barriers – both cultural and personal – sees Shahverdi taking on some of the most difficult issues facing women in her community, from fighting against child marriages to inspiring the empowerment of young girls by teaching them to ride motorcycles.
The documentary opens with Shahverdi’s unshakable confidence. In a scene that sets the tone for the entire film, we see her energetically fixing the gate to her property, radiating a defiant “I don’t need no man” energy. It’s a bold introduction to a woman who has already defied so much. Her late father treated her like a son, and as a result, Shahverdi was given the rare freedom to explore the world outside traditional female boundaries. Her father taught her to ride a motorcycle and encouraged her to choose her clothes, giving her the confidence to become the woman she is today.
At the heart of “Cutting Through Rocks” is Shahverdi’s relentless push for change in her village – a place where traditional gender roles are rigid and deeply ingrained. Shahverdi’s fight is personal and political: She wants to ensure that young girls are no longer married off at a young age and that they are encouraged to pursue education. In a community with little experience with female leaders, her decision to run for council is met with skepticism and resistance, especially from men who believe a woman’s place is not in governance. But Shahverdi is undeterred, determined to prove she can enact change or at least plant the seed that will ultimately inspire the hope of change.
The documentary’s most moving moments occur in quiet, intimate conversations, where we hear Shahverdi’s reflections and see her confront the overwhelming weight of the patriarchal system. The tension between her desire to break free from tradition and the immense pressure to conform is palpable. This leads to an identity crisis for Shahverdi, but the film also shows how the pressure to conform affects all women. Whether you are a sister who feels entitled to an estate, a wife who wants to have her name on the deed of her home, or (especially) a young girl who wants to escape the possibility of child marriage, all of these scenarios are not easily resisted when the entire system only favors one side.
There is something uniquely powerful about how “Cutting Through Rocks” uses imagery to convey its message. The sweeping landscapes of rural Iran are gorgeously shot, especially during dawn and dusk when the mountains and fields are bathed in soft light. These shots contrast beautifully with Shahverdi’s journey as she works to give the girls in her village the tools to carve out their futures. The image of girls riding motorcycles in a line across the vast, open landscape is one of the film’s most striking and emblematic moments — a visual symbol of freedom and possibility.
The film also tackles the complexity of gender identity in a setting where expectations are rigid. Shahverdi’s appearance, often in “men’s” clothes, her deep voice, and the fact that she lives alone prompt whispers and accusations about her sexuality. These moments speak to larger questions about gender identity and societal expectations, questions that resonate with contemporary debates in the West but feel all the more urgent in a place like rural Iran. The film doesn’t shy away from this ambiguity; instead, it lets it hang in the air, reflecting the internal and external battles that Shahverdi faces.
While Shahverdi doesn’t win every battle, her impact is undeniable. She inspires a new generation of girls who begin to see a different future for themselves. One girl, a teenage bride, eventually seeks a divorce – a small but significant victory in the ongoing fight against child marriage. These moments of hope are tempered by the more heartbreaking reality of the lives some of these girls will continue to face. We see them look up to Shahverdi with wide, hopeful eyes, wanting a life different from the one laid out for them by tradition. The documentary ends on a bittersweet note, showing that, while Shahverdi may not be able to change everything overnight, she has sparked a movement that will continue to grow.
“Cutting Through Rocks” is a beautifully crafted documentary that celebrates the profound ways in which women like Shahverdi can – and do – change the world around them. Enacting change often feels like cutting through a rock, and it may take a long time, but it’s not impossible.
