The 76th episode of Parse is an excerpt from a talk given by Zahra Khosrowshahi titled “Iranian Women Filmmakers: A Cinema of Resistance”. In this presentation, Zahra Khosroshahi discusses her current book project on the works of Iranian women filmmakers both inside and outside the country. She explores how women’s filmmaking confronts gender and representation, challenges the male gaze, and speaks from a position of agency. 

Zahra Khosroshahi was an SSHRC postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto working on Iranian cinema. Currently, she is a Lecturer in Film and Television Studies at the University of Glasgow. Zahra’s research explores how the visual medium challenges systems of power, and how filmmaking specifically functions as a form of resistance in Iran. Her doctoral thesis focused on Iranian filmmaker Rakhshan Banietemad’s work as a gateway into important discussions around gender, femininity, and the taboo. 

To watch the full talk, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7TeEpYKKc8&t=736s