Polaris (2016 film)

Polaris is a multi-cultural feature film based on a script written by Soudabeh Moradian and Naghmeh Samini starring Bahram Radan, Alicja Bachleda, Coby Ryan McLaughlin and Roya Teymourian.^[1] It's the first U.S. Iranian collaboration produced in the U.S. after the revolution and which received its license to screen theatrically in Iran in 2018. Its theatrical screening commenced in Iran in December 2018 and continued through early summer of 2019.

Polaris portrays a young immigrant journalist, half Iranian-half German, who has PTSD.^[2] This is a movie made by women and about women. The writers, producer, director, editor and most of the key crew members behind the scene were women.^[3] Polaris awarded the 2020 ReFrame Stamp. Founded by Women In Film and the Sundance Institute, the ReFrame Stamp serves as a mark of distinction to recognize standout films with more women, in front of and behind the camera.^[4] Polaris first premièred at TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX in Toronto as part of the 2016 CineIran Film festival.^[5][6] It won the best picture at the Culver city Film festival (2016) and the California Women Film festival (2017) where it was nominated for the best director and best actress as well . Polaris had a limited theatrical release as part of a tour organized by Cinelibre and Zurich IFF across Switzerland in 2017.^[7]