Documentary · 2022 · 86 min · Iran
Sharmin Mojtahedzadeh
& Paliz Khoshdel
Busan International Film Festival
2022
Zahra, a 27-year-old football fan in Tehran, has always dreamed of watching her favorite team, Persepolis, from inside the stadium.
But in Iran, women have long faced restrictions on entering football stadiums.
Determined to experience the game firsthand, Zahra disguises herself as a man and attempts to enter the stadium. What begins as a personal act of defiance soon spreads across social media and attracts widespread attention.
Her actions inspire other women to challenge the same restrictions, turning an individual obsession with football into a larger struggle against gender discrimination.
The Football Aficionado follows Zahra as football, identity, resistance and the fight for women’s right to occupy public space become inseparable.
Best Documentary — Sports Category — Cinema of The World International Film Festival, 2023
Best Documentary Film — Madrid International Festival of Independent Cinema, 2024
Diploma for Strong Character and Love for Football — Northern Character International Film Festival, 2024
International Documentary Film Festival Flahertiana, 2023 — Official Selection
Kerala International Documentary and Short Film Festival, 2023 — Screening
Festival del Cinema dei Diritti Umani di Napoli, 2023 — Screening
Cinéma(s) d’Iran, 2023 — Screening
Impact Human Rights Film Festival of Catalonia, 2024 — Official Selection
Iranian Documentary Film Festival Munich, 2024 — Official Selection
Sharmin Mojtahedzadeh & Paliz Khoshdel
Paliz Khoshdel & Sharmin Mojtahedzadeh
Paliz Khoshdel & Sharmin Mojtahedzadeh
Zahra Khoshnavaz
Paliz Khoshdel & Sharmin Mojtahedzadeh
Paliz Khoshdel
Mohammad Mousavi
2022
86 minutes
Iran
Persian / English