20 Fingers

First-time director Mania Akbari explores the heartbreak and joy of romantic relationships through the stories of seven couples searching for happiness. Composed of seven vignettes, the film features the same two actors in each episode, playing different characters.The characters’ problems and issues unfold in conversations, quarrels, and altercations. Some problems are universal and can be found in any culture–jealousy, adultery, abortion. Others reveal the struggles, hardships, and political realities of modern-day Iran, especially for women.At once wrenching yet uplifting, private yet universal, 20 FINGERS reveals a director on the cutting edge of filmmaking in her country.