Legend of a Sigh, The (Afsane-ye Ah)

(105 mins) This strikingly feminist film draws on the literature of Azerbaijan province. According to the legend, Ah is a handsome young man who materializes to succor those in need whenever he hears a heartfelt sigh. Milani's protagonist is a woman novelist, suffering from writer's block, who, with the help of Ah, experiences the lives of four women from different social strata. From a wealthy Tehrani who feels unfulfilled by her life, to a poor servant, to a Turkman wife unable to leave the house without her husband's permission, to a rebellious student, the film offers a fascinating portrait of a range of Iranian women and their problems.

In Farsi with English subtitles.