November

Grand Me

Atiye Zare Arandi

A 9-year-old Iranian girl plans to sue her parents after their bitter divorce in a lively and bittersweet film directed by her aunt. A fresh, contemporary contribution to the great Iranian tradition of films about the world of children.

Melina lives with her loving grandparents in the Iranian city of Isfahan. Her parents have divorced and neither her mum nor her dad are able to take care of their daughter. Melina wants to live with her mum in Tehran, but both her unpredictable father and her new stepfather won’t allow it. When the strong-willed Melina turns 9, she has an idea: she wants to start a custody battle. But her plans are challenged by the complicated realities of adult life.

Director Atiye Zare Arandi is also Melina’s aunt, and their close relationship provides a unique insight into her life and thoughts. From scolding her mum in the car, to getting on her dad’s nerves on the phone, to putting nail polish on her good-natured grandfather. Conflicts, phone calls and children’s games weave in and out of each other in a film that contributes a fresh perspective to the grand Iranian cinematic tradition of depicting the world of children and the incomprehensible reality of adults.

Credits

Director
Atiye Zare Arandi
Type
Documentary
Country
Belgium, Iran
Year
2024
Duration
80 minutes
Spoken Language
Farsi
Subtitles
English
*Theatres with subtitles and an in-depth programme in English.

Note: The date and start time of a screening may change. Please check the website of the respective movie theatre for the most up-to-date information.

Theatres, dates and timeslots

Amersfoort
Mon 11 Nov at 20:15 in De Lieve Vrouw
Amsterdam
Wed 27 Nov at 19:15 in Kriterion*
Amsterdam
Thu 28 Nov at 19:00 in Rialto VU*
Apeldoorn
Tue 19 Nov at 20:00 in Gigant
Arnhem
Wed 27 Nov at 19:00 in Focus Filmtheater
Breda
Sun 3 Nov at 16:00 in Filmhuis Breda
Delft
Thu 14 Nov in Filmhuis Lumen*
Den Haag
Sun 10 Nov at 15:00 in Filmhuis Den Haag*
Deventer
Mon 25 Nov at 20:00 in MIMIK
Gouda
Tue 12 Nov at 20:00 in Filmhuis Gouda
Groningen
Mon 11 Nov at 20:30 in VERA Zienema*
Hilversum
Tue 12 Nov at 19:00 in Filmtheater Hilversum
Leiden
Mon 11 Nov at 19:00 in Kijkhuis*
Middelburg
Mon 18 Nov at 20:00 in Cinema Middelburg*
Schiedam
Tue 19 Nov at 20:00 in Wenneker Cinema
Utrecht
Mon 11 Nov at 19:00 in Louis Hartlooper Complex*
Wageningen
Tue 19 Nov at 20:00 in Movie W