Starless Dreams

A haunting portrait of stolen childhood, Starless Dreams plunges us into the lives of seven young teenage girls sharing temporary quarters at a rehabilitation and correction center on the outskirts of Tehran. As the New Year approaches, the girls bond and reveal with disarming and often playful honesty the circumstances and acts that resulted in their incarceration. They have killed their father, robbed a bank or were arrested for carrying 651 grams of cocaine. It is the sisterly bond that brings the girls to sing and dance with hope. It is also one that allows them to share their tears. Outside the prison walls, danger is everywhere, even within their own families. Oskouei, one of Iran’s most prominent directors spent seven years securing access to this all-female facility. With incredible empathy, Starless Dreams delivers an unforgettable cinematic portrayal of restored innocence and humanity.