Cutting Through Rocks

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Cutting Through Rocks
Directed by
  • Mohammadreza Eyni
  • Sara Khaki
Produced by
  • Mohammadreza Eyni
  • Sara Khaki
CinematographyMohammaderza Eyni
Edited by
  • Mohammadreza Eyni
  • Sara Khaki
Music byKarim Sebastian Elias
Production
company
Gandom Films Production
Release dates
  • 27 January 2025 (2025-01-27) (Sundance)[1]
  • 21 November 2025 (2025-11-21) (United States)
Running time
95 minutes
Countries
  • Iran
  • Qatar
  • Chile
  • Canada
  • Netherlands
  • Germany
  • United States
Languages
  • Azerbaijani
  • Turkish
  • Persian
  • English
Box office$7,066[2][3]

Cutting Through Rocks is a 2025 documentary film directed by Mohammadreza Eyni and Sara Khaki, in their feature debut. It follows the first Iranian woman elected as councilwoman in a rural village.[4][5][6]

The film had its world premiere at the World Documentary Competition section of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on 27 January.

Synopsis

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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.[7] Sheila Nevins, former head of MTV Documentary Films, serves as one of the film's Executive Producers, as well as Meadow Fund, Chandra Jesse, Monika Parekh, Rebecca Lichtenfeld, Judith Helfand, and Julie Parker Benello.[8]

Release

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Cutting Through Rocks had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival in the World Documentary Competition.[1] Following its Sundance premiere, the film also screened at Visions du Reél, San Francisco International Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, International Film Festival Amsterdam, DOC NYC, and Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival. The film released in the United States at Film Forum on 21 November 2025, followed by a limited theatrical release in the United States, Canada, and the UK.[9]

Reception

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On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 100% rating with 25 critics' reviews.[10] Following its Sundance premiere, Lauren Wissot from Indiewire called the film "a deftly shaped work of cinematic nonfiction" and Autlook Filmsales, one of the leading documentary sales outfits,[11] acquired the film.[12]

On January 31, Cutting Through Rocks received the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, with the Sundance jury saying, "this beautiful and nuanced portrait shows us a fearless eccentric who confronts male-dominated society when she runs for office in a remote Iranian village. Her determination, warmth, and humor and the way her story is told left us in awe."[13]

The film has received dozens awards from festivals across the world. On April 11, during its international premiere, the film was awarded the Audience Award in the Wide Angle section at Visions du Reél in Nyon, Switzerland.[14] Other audience awards at major film festivals include Giffoni Film Festival, New Zealand International Film Festival, and International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. Cutting Through Rocks also received the Best Documentary Feature award and the NYWIFT Award for Excellence in Directing from Woodstock Film Festival and the Jury Award for Best First Feature at Newport Beach Film Festival.[15]

On December 16, Cutting Through Rocks was featured on the shortlist for the 98th Academy Awards, under the Best Documentary Feature category.[16]

Accolades

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Award / Film Festival Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Sundance Film Festival 2 February 2025 Grand Jury Prize, World Documentary Competition Cutting Through Rocks Won [13]
Visions du Réel 11 April 2025 Audience Award, Wide Angle Won
Giffoni Film Festival 1 August 2025 Gryphon Award Best Film, GEX Doc Won
Woodstock Film Festival 18 October 2025 Best Documentary Feature and NYWIFT Award for Excellence in Directing Won
International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 21 November 2025 NPO Doc IDFA Audience Award Won
Cinema Eye Honors 8 January 2026 Audience Choice Prize Pending [17]
The Unforgettables Sara Shahverdi Won

References

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