Festivals: Between Dreams and Hope (2025) by Farnoosh Samadi: A Journey for Authenticity

The Price of Freedom

Between Dreams and Hope is a 2025 Iranian drama directed by Farnoosh Samadi. The film is a bold queer love story that centers on a young couple, Azad and Nora, as they travel to a remote town in Iran. Their mission is to confront Azad's estranged father to obtain documents that would allow Azad, a trans man, to live authentically and undergo a medical transition. The film explores the challenges they face, both from societal and family norms.

Why to Watch This Movie: A Timely and Moving Story

• Powerful and Brave Narrative: The movie is lauded for being a stunning and brave entrant into the queer canon. It highlights the supreme tension faced by queer youth in Iran as they navigate a society that often clashes with their identities.

• Strong and Sincere Performances: The film features daring and memorable performances from the lead actors, Fereshteh Hosseini as Azad and Sadaf Asgari as Nora. Their portrayals are described as gripping and sincere, conveying the emotional intensity of their journey.

• Resilience and Hope: Unlike many queer stories that end in tragedy, this film focuses on resilience and hope. It portrays the characters as leaders defying institutionalized cruelty and showcases the power of the underground queer community in Tehran as a source of support and healing.

Where to watch (industry professionals): https://pro.festivalscope.com/film/between-dreams-and-hope

Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt37661864/

Link Review: https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/between-dreams-and-hope-review-farnoosh-samadi-1235151755/

About movie: https://truecolours.it/catalogue/dreams-hope/

What Trend is Followed?: The Rise of Queer Cinema in Iran

The film follows the emerging trend of queer cinema in Iran, which seeks to shed light on the lives and struggles of the LGBTQ+ community in the country. It is part of a growing movement of films that explore themes of identity, love, and human rights within a restrictive social and political context. This trend challenges traditional narratives and provides a voice to a community that is often marginalized.

Director's Vision: Blurring the Lines of Reality

• Intimate Character Study: Farnoosh Samadi's vision is to create an intimate character study that also serves as a broader commentary on the political regime in Iran and human rights abuses.

• Symbolism and Emotional Depth: The director uses periodic silence and close-ups to convey emotional depth, allowing the audience to feel the characters' raw emotions of sadness, fear, guilt, and joy.

• Hope as an Anchor: Samadi's directing choices ensure that while the film addresses social issues, it is not without hope and healing, which serves as an anchor for the characters and the narrative.

Themes: Identity and Survival

• Identity and Survival: The central theme is the painful dilemma of living in the space between who you are and what the world allows. It explores the struggle for identity and survival in a world that seeks to erase you.

• Family vs. Authenticity: The film examines the conflict between family expectations and the desire for an authentic life. Azad's journey to confront his estranged father highlights the difficult choices people are forced to make for their own well-being.

• Community as a Lifeline: The film showcases the importance of community, especially for marginalized groups. The underground queer community in Tehran is depicted as a place of solidarity where characters can find themselves and feel a sense of belonging.

Key Success Factors: A Powerful and Resonant Film

• Timely and Chilling Relevance: The film's subject matter is eerily relevant to the current global climate, particularly regarding discussions around trans rights and societal violence. It forces an urgent question: how do you survive in a world that wants you gone?

• Emotionally Resonant: The authenticity of the emotions conveyed by the cast, particularly in the latter half of the film, makes it deeply resonant and relatable for audiences, especially those from the queer community.

• Artistic and Visual Storytelling: The movie is praised for its artistic vision and visual storytelling, with one critic describing the final act and epilogue as a "viscerally powerful" and "best-looking sequence in the film."

Awards and Nominations: Festival Acclaim

Between Dreams and Hope had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2025, where it was selected for the prestigious Platform section. This is a notable achievement as it's a program that champions diverse perspectives in film.

Critics Reception: Poignant and Necessary

• Journey Into Cinema: This review describes the film as a "poignant and necessary" drama that "regains its footing with a powerful final act." While noting the plot setup feels "a bit forced" at times, it praises the film for its chilling relevance and its exploration of the "bureaucratic and emotional standstills" trans people face.

• The Varsity: This critic describes the film as a dramatic romance that "reminds us to never lose hope." The review highlights the "authenticity of the emotions from the entire cast" and calls the film "uniquely powerful" for queer audiences, particularly because it avoids the typical tragic ending.

Overall Summary: Critics generally view the film as a powerful, emotional, and timely work that sheds light on the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community in Iran. While acknowledging some minor narrative stumbles, they praise its sincere performances, strong artistic vision, and its uplifting message of resilience and hope.

Reviews: A Story of Love and Survival

Between Dreams and Hope is seen as a compelling and emotionally charged story of love and survival against the backdrop of societal and family pressures. The film's unique approach to a serious topic, focusing on hope and community rather than just tragedy, has resonated with viewers and critics alike. It is a film that is appreciated for its quiet power and its genuine portrayal of a difficult subject.

Release Dates

Release date on streaming: The film is currently seeking U.S. distribution, and no streaming release date has been announced.

Theatrical Release: The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6, 2025.

What Movie Trend film is following: The Art House Human Rights Drama

The film aligns with the trend of art house human rights dramas, which are independent films that use personal stories to shed light on broader social and political issues. This genre often focuses on marginalized communities and uses emotional and character-driven narratives to advocate for social change.

What Big Social Trend is following: Global Trans Rights Movement

Between Dreams and Hope is directly following the global social trend of the trans rights movement. It contributes to the growing international conversation about gender identity, acceptance, and the legal and social challenges faced by trans individuals worldwide. The film's setting in Iran provides a specific and powerful context for this universal issue.

Final Verdict: A Must-See Film of Resilience

Between Dreams and Hope is a deeply moving and important film. It is not just a story about a couple's struggle; it's a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of immense adversity. The film's emotional honesty, coupled with its powerful message of hope, makes it a must-see for anyone interested in contemporary Iranian cinema, human rights, and stories that challenge the status quo.