Empire of Evil

Iran has 70 million inhabitants, 14 million of whom live in the capital of Tehran. When monarch Reza Pahlevi was dethroned in 1979 by the religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini, Iran became an Islamic republic. Since then, authorities see to it that the population observes Islamic laws. Iran is often considered a supporter of terrorism, the filmmakers claim. But who are the inhabitants of 'The Empire of Evil'? The filmmakers follow several women, men and a child in their daily lives. They all have dreams that are incompatible with the rules in their country. Interviews and childhood pictures reveal more about their lives. Serayesh is a talented fencer, but as a woman she is not allowed to travel abroad to tournaments. She cannot watch her swimmer husband participate in races, either. Golsar is still a little girl. She likes to swim and play music, and is still pretty free to do what she wants. But what about when she grows up? In between the portraits, images of contemporary Tehran provide nice intermezzos: from Khomeini's swarming tomb to the shopping masses looking for that special pair of Gucci sunglasses. Mosques alternate with tall office buildings. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)