THE FORBIDDEN DOGS (52')
INFORMATION
CA / 2024 / 52’ / HD / Persian, English
Mani Film / Directed by Saeideh Akhkan
Worldwide rights available
TAGS
Pets
SYNOPSIS
In Iran, having a dog - as a pet - has been illegal based on an unwritten law for many years. However, in January 2019, walking dogs in public and carrying them in cars became legally banned. This documentary examines the existence of pet dogs in Persian cultural history and the lifestyle of dogs and their owners in the country today. As the ban is based on religious laws, it also shows two different interpretations of Islamic rules related to dogs.
The Forbidden Dogs explores the experience of having a forbidden dog and why their owners choose to make a choice that is illegal, thus adding more stress to their already stressful lives - in terms of lacking freedom, financial problems due to inflation, unemployment, and the precarious state of the country's economy. It shows how the inhabitants exercise their freedom, struggle with various problems created by the religious governors, how resilient they are, and how they try to be happy despite the circumstances.