Starless Dreams / Royahaye dame sobh

On the inside there is laughter as well as tears, while the outside, the walls of an Iranian correction and rehabilitation centre located on the outskirts of Tehran, is heavily guarded by wardens. Some inmates are underage mothers, others married. All are in this place because they have broken the law – be it by drug dealing, violent crimes, or even murder. Daily life here is simple, while life outside the facility could mean living on the streets, or accepting domestic violence. The inmates share a common fate and do their best to support and understand each other. With his sensitive questions, director Mehrdad Oskouei gives these women a voice – and removes them from the context of their criminal pasts.