Gandom Films Production

Cutting Through Rocks

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.

"A sharp documentary… Precisely lensed… A deftly shaped work of cinematic nonfiction”
— INDIEWIRE

“An unforgettable portrait of an Iranian woman pushing back on patriarchal constraints.”
— Thom Powers, PURE NONFICTION

**“Cutting Through Rocks is one of those profound vérité documentaries that are only possible through the patience and perseverance of the filmmakers.”**
— POV MAGAZINE

Sara Khaki

Director, Producer, Editor:
Sara Khaki is a documentary director, producer, and editor dedicated to telling stories that promote gender equity. She is a Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Award winner, World Cinema: Documentary and Visions Du Reél Audience Award winner for her feature documentary *Cutting Through Rocks*, which follows the first elected councilwoman of a rural Iranian village. The film has been called “a deftly shaped work of cinematic nonfiction” by Indiewire and “one of those profound vérité documentaries that are only possible through the patience and perseverance of the filmmakers” by POV Magazine.

Hershort film *Our Iranian Lockdown* is now streaming on The Guardian as a Guardian Documentary and received an IDA Awards nomination. Sara’s co-directed Netflix Original *Convergence: Courage in a Crisis* was nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Current Affairs Film. She graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore with her BFA in cinematic arts and from the School of Visual Arts with an MFA in Social Documentary Filmmaking. Sara works and resides between Iran and the United States and her work has been supported by Sundance Institute, Chicken & Egg Films, Firelight Media, IDFA Bertha Fund, among others.

Mohammadreza Eyni

Director, Producer, Director of Cinematography:
Mohammadreza Eyni is a Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Award winner, World Cinema: Documentary and Visions Du Reél Audience Award winner for his feature documentary *Cutting Through Rocks*, which follows the first elected councilwoman of a rural Iranian village. His cinematography in the film has been heralded as “uniquely propulsive” and “practically magical” by Variety and “precisely lensed” by Indiewire and he was named as one of five cinematographers to watch at Sundance.

His intimate short film *Our Iranian Lockdown*, is now streaming on The Guardian as a Guardian Documentary and received an IDA Awards nomination. His co-directed Netflix Original *Convergence: Courage in a Crisis* was nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Current Affairs Film. Mohammadreza has been supported by Sundance Institute, IDFA Bertha Foundation, Hot Docs Cross Current Doc Fund, among others. He is a Tribeca Film Institute alumnus and graduated with an MFA in cinema from Tehran University of Fine Arts. Mohammadreza’s career and cinematic approach aims to bridge boundaries, elevate underrepresented voices, and connect diverse perspectives globally.

Previous Films

Convergence: Courage in a Crisis

While COVID-19 exacerbates vulnerabilities across the world, unsung heroes in all levels of society help the tide turn toward a brighter future.
**Gandom Films Production**'s collaboration on **Convergence: Courage in a Crisis** was in collaboration with **Story Syndicate**, a U.S. based Oscar- and Emmy-winning production company, and **Grain Media**, a BAFTA- and Oscar-Winning film company based in the U.K.

Our Iranian Lockdown

In this Guardian Documentary, a filmmaking duo turn the camera on themselves and capture their lives in lockdown. Their film is an intimate portrait of the highs and the lows of love and loss in these times of great uncertainty.
In the documentary, filmed over several weeks in quarantine in Tehran, Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni attempt to process the devastating loss of a family member to Covid-19.
The frightening news of coronavirus spreading in Tehran is the backdrop to their lives indoors. They see the outside world from their balcony, observing neighbours setting off fireworks and street musicians playing for spare change.
As they approach the Persian new year, usually a time of family reunion, the couple find hope and happiness in the traditional rituals that mark the spring equinox.

News

*Cutting Through Rocks* Wins Grand Jury Prize, World Cinema Documentary

Sundance Institute

*Cutting Through Rocks* Indiewire review: A Sharp Documentary Profiles a Motorcycle-Loving Woman Who Takes on the Patriarchy in Rural Iran

Indiewire

Sundance Grand Jury Winner *Cutting Through Rocks* Acquired by Autlook Ahead of Berlinale

Variety

*Cutting Through Rocks* POV Magazine Review: Sara Shahverdi’s Courageous Stand

POV Magazine

*Cutting Through Rocks* Wins Audience Award at Visions du Reél

Screen Daily

The Guardian Interviews Sara & Mohammadreza for *Our Iranian Lockdown*

The Guardian