Raving Iran

Prix du Jury SSA/Suissimage pour le long métrage suisse le plus innovant – Visions du Réel – Nyon 2016
Sélection – DOC-Cévennes – Festival International du Documentaire en Cévennes – Lasalle 2017
Sélection – Documentaire de création – Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels – Biarritz 2017

Anoosh and Arash are DJs of Tehran’s underground house music scene. However, the fight for their right to party is very tough. In order to organise raves, they adopt spy-like underground techniques to spread the info without getting into trouble. Indeed, people who play at or attend the parties might land behind bars. Therefore, each party is a new challenge. Trying to avoid the bullying cops in the city, Anoosh and Arash decide to organise a rave in the desert. Reinvigorated by the success of the event, they go back to Tehran and try to sell their music. The police, though, arrests Anoosh. The world crumbles for the two friends. Then, out of nowhere, they receive an invitation to fly to Zurich to play in the biggest techno festival in the world. A once-in-a lifetime opportunity. Raving Iran casts a glance on the underground musical scene of Tehran. With unlimited access and closeness to the protagonists, the filmmaker creates a film that portrays the struggles of a generation that wants to be accepted and refuses to be consigned into oblivion.
(Giona A. Nazzaro)

View the trailer