An empty kitchen table, covered with a colourful tablecloth. Abandoned places. Photos in a family album. Faded memories. An exploration of the impossibility of describing how it feels to live in Tehran, or to be in exile with both heart and mind. Bani Khoshnoudi tells us stories from the family album, recounts how her cousin disappeared, and recalls situations filled with powerlessness. In doing so, images from everyday life in Tehran become moments that could tip the balance, with the mood always hovering on the brink of a new turning point. The revolution in people’s minds has so often come close to succeeding. The protests reverberate, courage is emboldened, but never rewarded. An endless spiral of loss, a vortex of memories. This film reminds us that screens are the only medium that allows us to understand what it means to be a child of Iran, what it means to sustain a revolution. In a place where so many people are once again dying for the sake of radical change in the country, The Vanishing Point makes it clear that they will never be forgotten. We see once again, in particular, that the women of Iran – as mothers, sisters and friends – are the ones carrying the emotional weight of a revolution. For them, working through trauma is a life’s calling; a task that becomes a burden and knows no respite. This brings to light the connections between those in exile and those who remained behind – offering a glimpse of a future of peaceful solidarity.

Guest: Bani Khoushnoudi

Awards for »The Vanishing Point«
Visions du Réel, JuryawardBurning Lights-competition

Content note