Reading Lolita in Tehran

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1:57

Reading Lolita in Tehran

In Theaters Jul 10

1h 47m

Drama

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10 Reviews

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The screen adaptation of Azar Nafisi's beloved memoir tells the true story of a literature professor in revolutionary Iran who, amidst censorship and religious extremism, gathers seven of her most dedicated female students to immerse themselves in banned literary classics. A film by Eran Riklis starring Golshifteh Farahani (Paterson), Zar Amir (Holy Spider), and Mina Kavani (No Bears).

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In Theaters Jul 10

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Eran Riklis

Director

Golshifteh Farahani

Actor

Zar Amir-Ebrahimi

Actor

Mina Kavani

Actor

Lara Wolf

Actor

Bahar Beihaghi

Actor

Wendy Ide

Screen International

11/13/2024

This is a stirring, if conventionally-made story of courage and curiosity in the face of oppression.

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Tomris Laffly

Variety

10/28/2024

Riklis’ adaptation doesn’t always culminate in the grand emotions that Nafisi’s tale is made of. But it still lands as a respectable, aptly rebellious and deeply feminine exercise.

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Avi Offer

NYC Movie Guru

13h

A mildly engaging, but undercooked and sugar-coated drama that fails to pack an emotional punch.

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Kenneth R. Morefield

1More Film Blog

1d

2/4

Several of the features that made it a great memoir did not translate easily or effectively from page to screen.

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Brian Orndorf

Blu-ray.com

1d

B

Riklis still manages to grasp the overall pressure on Azar, finding ways to communicate such pain as an educated person with a thirst to understand the human condition remains trapped in a cruel land she no longer recognizes as home.

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Sebastian Zavala Kahn

Loud and Clear Reviews

2d

3.5/5

Eran Riklis’ Reading Lolita in Tehran is not about Vladimir Nabokov’s book, but about the struggle between religious extremism and freedom of thought.

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Runa R

@runa.r Jul 15

This Israeli director – Eran Riklis – made this film in 2024, at the age of 69. It is set in Iran. Films of this kind tend to be made either by Iranian filmmakers in exile, or by Israelis or others considered enemies of the Iranian regime. One way or another, we continue to learn about the horrors inflicted on women in that country.

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Reading Lolita in Tehran: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

The screen adaptation of Azar Nafisi's beloved memoir tells the true story of a literature professor in revolutionary Iran who, amidst censorship and religious extremism, gathers seven of her most dedicated female students to immerse themselves in banned literary classics. A film by Eran Riklis starring Golshifteh Farahani (Paterson), Zar Amir (Holy Spider), and Mina Kavani (No Bears).

Director: Eran Riklis
Producer: Marica Stocchi, Gianluca Curti, Moshe Edery, Santo Versace, Eran Riklis, Michael Sharfshtein
Screenwriter: Marjorie David, Azar Nafisi
Distributor: Greenwich Entertainment
Production Co: Minerva Pictures, WestEnd Films, RAI Cinema, Eran Riklis Productions, Rosamont, United King Films, Topia Communications
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Persian
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 10, 2026, Limited
Runtime: 1h 47m