Colorful kites lined up on ground with people and clear sky in background.

Nila's Dream in the Garden of Eden

(Nila's Dream in the Garden of Eden)

Leyla and her 6-year-old daughter live in the northern Iranian city of Mashhad, known not only as an important site for Shiite pilgrims but also for the infamous phenomenon of sigheh – temporary marriage.

In Iran, bound by strict religious rules, there’s a legal way to practise adultery. A marriage for an undefined length of time enables men to maintain sexual relationships with women other than their legal wives. As far as society is concerned, the children born out of these marriages don’t officially exist. This is the case of Nila, whose mother tirelessly strives to obtain the birth certificate her daughter needs in order to enrol at school. Leyla launches into a long and traumatising court dispute with Nila’s father, who threatens to take her daughter away once she is 7 – something he is allowed to do by Iranian law. Leyla faces domestic violence and social bullying, yet she doesn’t give up the fight for a better future for her only daughter.

Bio Oko, Františka Křížka 460/15, Praha 7

Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Discussion
Lenka Lovicarová, Moderator
Niloufar Taghizadeh, Director
tickets

Prague Municipal Library – Large Hall, Mariánské nám. 1, Praha 1

Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Discussion
Matouš Horčička, Moderator
Pegah Moulana, Activist from Iran
tickets
TitleNila's Dream in the Garden of Eden
Original TitleNila's Dream in the Garden of Eden
Original LanguageFarsi, German
Subtitles Czech, English
PremiéraWorld premiere
Film typeFull-length documentary
Year of Production2023
Country of OriginGermany
Length108 min.
Tags Children and Youth, Women's rights, Middle East
Director Niloufar Taghizadeh

Others Films from category Middle East

Nila's Dream in the Garden of Eden